Hey guys-- the internet is in jeopardy (the "OMG WE GONNA DIE" kind, not the TV show)

Boa

Boa

Member
Hey guys-- the internet is in jeopardy (the "OMG WE GONNA DIE" kind, not the TV show)

Hey, I'm just passing this on 'cuz it's kinda scaring me-- if this stuff goes down it'll put quite a damper on our revolutionizing the film distribution system through the internet... Let's protect our rights, guys!

Hi, Do you buy books online, use Google, or download to an iPod? Everything we do online will be hurt if Congress passes a radical law next week that gives giant corporations more control over what we do and see on the Internet.

Internet providers like AT&T are lobbying Congress hard to gut Network Neutrality--the Internet's First Amendment and the key to Internet freedom. Net Neutrality prevents AT&T from choosing which websites open most easily for you based on which site pays AT&T more. BarnesandNoble.com doesn't have to outbid Amazon for the right to work properly on your computer.

If Net Neutrality is gutted, many sites--including Google, eBay, and iTunes--must either pay protection money to companies like AT&T or risk having their websites process slowly. That why these high-tech pioneers, plus diverse groups ranging from MoveOn to Gun Owners of America, are opposing Congress' effort to gut Internet freedom.

You can do your part today--can you sign this petition telling your member of Congress to preserve Internet freedom? Click here:
http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet?track _referer=706%7C7010994-lPcbe8BSMY8UAQjb5k5X5g

I signed this petition, along with 250,000 others so far. This petiton will be delivered to Congress before the House of Representatives votes next week. When you sign, you'll be kept informed of the next steps we can take to keep the heat on Congress.
Snopes.com, which monitors various causes that circulate on the Internet, explained:
Simply put, network neutrality means that no web site's traffic has precedence over any other's...Whether a user searches for recipes using Google, reads an article on snopes.com, or looks at a friend's MySpace profile, all of that data is treated equally and delivered from the originating web site to the user's web browser with the same priority. In recent months, however, some of the telephone and cable companies that control the telecommunications networks over which Internet data flows have floated the idea of creating the electronic equivalent of a paid carpool lane.
​
If companies like AT&T have their way, Web sites ranging from Google to eBay to iTunes either pay protection money to get into the "fast lane" or risk opening slowly on your computer. We can't let the Internet--this incredible medium which has been such a revolutionary force for democratic participation, economic innovation, and free speech--become captive to large corporations.

Politicians don't think we are paying attention to this issue. Together, we do care about preserving the free and open Internet.

Please sign this petition letting your member of Congress know you support preserving Internet freedom. Click here:
http://www.civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet?track_referer=706%7C7010994-lPcbe8BSMY8UAQjb5k5X5g

Thanks.
 
Whoa, I remember discussing this like three months ago with some friends.

We were all pretty much set on "this'll never happen."... but who knows. =\
 
Here is Snope.com's full write-up on Net Neutrality (you can consider Snopes a reliable source of info):
http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/neutrality.asp

And here is a link to a collection of articles on the topic at News.com :
Net neutrality showdown (May 2, 2006)
http://news.com.com/Net+neutrality+showdown/2009-1028_3-6055133.html

And, here is an article by Reuters, posted at News.com, encouraging financial services companies to jump into the debate; since those companies offer so many consumer and business services online, their businesses could be jeopardized if net neutrality were gutted, so if they start lobbying, the Internet could be safe (who's better connected to the Republicans in office than the financial services companies? Ironic):
Financial sector awakens to Net neutrality issues
http://news.com.com/Financial+sector+awakens+to+Net+neutrality+issues/2100-1034_3-6067523.html
 
I thought about this a long time ago and people told me I was nuts. To me it has always been only a matter of time before the internet was locked down by corporations. The more bandwidth becomes congested the more precious the commodity will become. High bandwidth will be in demand and obtainable at a price. The pipe can only carry so much data flow and with half the world downloading and uploading video, software and music at an ever growing pace something’s gotta give. If a worldwide fiber optic network had been established by now we could have held it off longer, but I think by the time this happens it will be all over but the crying. Look how they squeeze us on gas prices because they can, because we need fuel. Why should the flow of information that is now becoming a major part of our infrastructure be any different? Maybe I'm being pessimistic but I think more realistic.
 
New article on News.com:

Verizon: Net neutrality concerns are 'hypothetical'
WASHINGTON--Verizon Communications on Thursday dismissed concerns about Net neutrality as "hypothetical problems" and suggested that new laws mandating the concept were premature.

C. Lincoln "Link" Hoewing, an assistant vice president at Verizon Communications, said that the ability to charge for services such as high-quality video is crucial to being able to afford the multibillion-dollar price tag of upgrading its network-to-fiber links.
READ MORE
 
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