What is net neutrality?
September 4, 2006 pm30 12:31 pm
Really, what are the politics of this debate? I know, I know, telecoms are bad. But who is good? Is it just a simple David against Goliath? Or do both sides smell like an August sidewalk when the garbage doesn’t get collected?
Or have I just fallen for an internet myth? (Weren’t they going to pass a law taxing e-mail? That got sent to me at least half a dozen times)
In any case, I liked this video.
(Thanks to Off The Broiler for the link)
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JD2718 
The issue, I think, is equal access. The net is currently a truly democratic medium.
If we surrender it to Verizon and whatever other monoliths that wish to control it, their sites will get preferential treatment.
http://www.savetheinternet.com/
I have to say, I feel that the issue is more whether we want the free market and consumer power to rule the internet, or if we want to turn the control over to legislators who have little to no understanding of one of the most diverse, complex, and rapidly shifting entities out there today, the internet. The government is notoriously slow to react, and the internet is notoriously quick to change–often overnight. How does it make sense to take the reigns out of the hands of the consumers and put them into the hands of the FCC? Do we really want to be subject to their will?
Check out my coalition’s website, http://handsoff.org, for an alternative view of the situation.
NYC Ed, anything to add?
The basic thing to know about net neutrality is that the internet has been neutral — net neutrality legislation actually preserves the status quo.
“Hands off the internet” (my first guess is a robot, but you never know) is being intentionally misleading in suggesting that “the government” would have any “reacting” to do. (In fact, that entire blurb doesn’t make any sense, as far as I can tell — exactly what are the “reigns” that are being transferred?)
Thanks. “Hands” is likely not a robot, since there is a typo in the lnk he provided.
Hands off is code for let the companies control it.
I think my position is clear, and bloggers like us will not benefit from that.
Hands is not a robot, but a puppet.
NYC, JBL, again thank you for enlightening me.
And I still like the video.