Net Neutrality

What does net neutrality mean and what does it have to do with you? Well there are many big corporate isp's that are trying to make more money from the service they offer without giving anything in return. If they have things their way they can priortize sites, and if they aren't paid by those sites then you will find it hard to access them.

Here is the US we are quickly falling behind many other countries. Did you know that other countries in Europe and Asia have far better service, and our internet speeds are slow compared to their's? It's true, there haven't been any plans to change that either.

Back in the Clinton era many of you may remember his work to bring the internet to the masses. Well instead of spending our tax dollars to put more fiber optic cable in the ground, the current administration choose to put troops in Iraq to get those weapons of mass destruction. Oops I mean to bring democracy to Iraq.

Since the demands on the net are growing greater each day, the person in charge of internet commerce, Mr Ted Stevens believes that you should have less access than you do now. His way of thinking is that sites like YouTube , and others streaming video are the problem. That streaming video is "clogging the tubes". See exactly how idiotic he is, this is the guy in charge of internet commerce. No wonder the richest country in the world is behind.See Hodgeman and Stewart having fun with this topic here.

Also visit this site, as it has the audio from the session were the Daily Show clip was taken. I don't want anyone reading this to be confused or uninformed afterwards.


Eweek's article today shows that the FCC, is dragging their feet, as is the norm for any federal agency.

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission is launching an inquiry to determine how broadband providers are behaving in terms of providing access to the Internet to subscribers. The Notice of Inquiry, announced at the March 22 commission meeting here, is intended to seek comments on whether providers are restricting access to sites on the Internet, whether they are giving any sites favorable treatment and whether the companies charge extra for that, and how consumers are affected. The inquiry is also designed to determine whether the FCC needs to issue a new principle of nondiscrimination.

According to a statement released by Chairman Kevin Martin, this inquiry will "provide a convenient forum for various providers, including network and content providers, to tell us what is happening in the market and about their concerns." Martin said in the statement that the FCC has a responsibility to promote infrastructure investment and broadband deployment. He also said it's important that consumer access to the Internet be protected.

However, Martin's statement didn't receive universal acclaim from the rest of the Commission. Commissioner Michael Copps, while concurring that the inquiry should be conducted, said action was also needed. In a statement, Copps said, "It is time for us to go beyond the original four principles and commit industry and the FCC unequivocally to a specific principle of enforceable nondiscrimination, one that allows for reasonable network management but makes clear that broadband network providers will not be allowed to shackle the promise of the Internet in its adolescence."

Copps said he thinks adding another study to those already done will simply take too long and may result in nothing actually being accomplished. "We proceed too leisurely here," Copps said. "Rather than strike out and unflinchingly proclaim this agency's commitment to an open and nondiscriminatory Internet, we satisfy ourselves with one tiny, timid step … Let's be frank.