I've posted before on the topic of 'Net neutrality. There have been some interesting developments recently, including an op/ed piece from The Seattle Times that not only describes the situation at hand in the current telecom bill, but also shows exactly what's at stake.
Luckily there has been some good news. While a U.S. Senate committee may have shot down an amendment to the telecom bill, we can all thank Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon for wishing to put a hold on the bill until it has some strong net neutrality requirements. A number of Republicans want to let the big telecoms control the Internet here in the U.S., claiming they built it.
Bullshit. As Al Gore is fond of saying, he "invented" the Internet. While that's not exactly true, it is true that he played a role in the development of ARPAnet, the DOD's network that gave rise to the modern Internet. Take ARPAnet and add some participation by not only major telecoms, but public and private colleges and universities of all sizes all over the country, and that is where the Internet came from.
So in my opinion the bullies like AT&T and Comcast can go to hell. In a country that prides itself on freedom, this argument should be cut and dried. If the telecoms have their way, you'll only be able to see what they decide you can see, and how fast they say you can see it.
So what can you do about it? Start here. Google, who offers their services to the average person free of charge, paid for by sponsors, has a lot at stake here, and so do you.
Mood: Hopeful
Music: Shannon Curfman: "True Friends"
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