Support Net Neutrality

This is a big deal for bloggers and everyone who uses the internet. I recenlty went to a Berkman Blog meeting where Colin Rhinesmith to discussed the current issues around net neutrality and access discrimination, and what we as bloggers and net citizens can do. As a recent NY Times editorial, Keeping a Democratic Web, said, “One of the Internet's great strengths is that a single blogger or a small political group can inexpensively create a Web page that is just as accessible to the world as Microsoft's home page. But this democratic Internet would be in danger if the companies that deliver Internet service changed the rules so that Web sites that pay them money would be easily accessible, while little-guy sites would be harder to access, and slower to navigate. Providers could also block access to sites they do not like.”

The telcoms are spending great sums of money lobbying the US congress to enact laws that would kill net neutraility and with it the internet as we know it. If you live in the US contact your local representaives and urge them to preserve net neutraility. If you live outside the US try to make sure your country doesn't do something like this. Here are some more sites on the issue that Colin provided:

What is Network Neutrality?

Save The Internet

Media Policy Blog (Jason Crow)

Action Coalition for Media Education, Boston Chapter (Colin Rhinesmith)

Network & Non-Network Discrimination and Bills in Congress

Comments

[Barb McDonald]

Bill,
Say it again and again! New article about the number of corps (now the hardware folks) are jumping on congress to not support Net Neutrality.

[Barb McDonald]

Oops! Here's the link:

http://news.com.com/Hardware+firms+oppose+Net+neutrality+laws/2100-1028_3-6073629.html?tag=nefd.top

[Brian Hill]

I Support Net Neutrality. Pass it on to the senators