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May 25, 2006

Alert from The Save The Internet Coalition

As many of us already know, the big telecoms have been lobbying Congress to pass bills that would give them control of the Web by doing away with the established and well-working concept of Network Neutrality.

From the Save The Internet Coalition:

Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the Internet's First Amendment -- a principle called Network Neutrality that prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. If the public doesn't speak up now, our elected officials will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign.

How will that effect the rest of us?

Google users—Another search engine could pay dominant Internet providers like AT&T to guarantee the competing search engine opens faster than Google on your computer.
Innovators with the "next big idea"—Startups and entrepreneurs will be muscled out of the marketplace by big corporations that pay Internet providers for dominant placing on the Web. The little guy will be left in the "slow lane" with inferior Internet service, unable to compete.
Ipod listeners—A company like Comcast could slow access to iTunes, steering you to a higher-priced music service that it owned.
Political groups—Political organizing could be slowed by a handful of dominant Internet providers who ask advocacy groups to pay "protection money" for their websites and online features to work correctly.
Nonprofits—A charity's website could open at snail-speed, and online contributions could grind to a halt, if nonprofits can't pay dominant Internet providers for access to "the fast lane" of Internet service.
Online purchasers—Companies could pay Internet providers to guarantee their online sales process faster than competitors with lower prices—distorting your choice as a consumer.
Small businesses and tele-commuters—When Internet companies like AT&T favor their own services, you won't be able to choose more affordable providers for online video, teleconferencing, Internet phone calls, and software that connects your home computer to your office.
Parents and retirees—Your choices as a consumer could be controlled by your Internet provider, steering you to their preferred services for online banking, health care information, sending photos, planning vacations, etc.
Bloggers—Costs will skyrocket to post and share video and audio clips—silencing citizen journalists and putting more power in the hands of a few corporate-owned media outlets.


This is an issue that is in the interests of all of us who access the Web, in order to protect our Internet users' rights, to call or email our representatives on Capital Hill today, and ASAP.

All information on the issue and who to contact is here.

Please, let's get moving, as the jawing starts today!

Posted by Seth at May 25, 2006 08:03 AM

Comments

As always Seth, you post the damndest things. I also know that if we do not wake up, we won't have the freedom to blog and say what really needs to be said.

Well done sir! Well Done!

Posted by: GM Roper at May 25, 2006 07:53 PM

Thanks, GM --

I'd been following this for awhile, but it was that wonderful friend of ours, Raven of blueberry beah fame, and rightly so, I might add, who brought this juncture to my attention.

Right now, we have a free forum(like the coalition says, this is our First Amendment that these greedy SOBs are trying to take away, so they can multiply their profits via the W W W).

If they take control of the Internet, maybe the next step will be controlling the air that we breathe and selling that to us as well.

Our politicians are already selling us out on immigration issues, so selling our rights to freedom of speech and our own Internet preferences shouldn't be that great a hardship for those @#&%%&@#**&%@@#$.

Posted by: Seth at May 25, 2006 11:22 PM