Imagine if there were only a few gatekeepers monitoring, controlling and taxing your web surfing. Imagine if the internet was controlled by only a few gatekeepers instead of it being the open range that it is now. Telecommunications executives would like to see this happen. They would love to have their internet acces similar to cable access where you pay for each channel you get. Maybe they would give you nice packages, but still you would be denied access to sites that are not in your plan.
There are people fighting to ensure this doesn’t happen. North Dakota Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan and Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe are working on the Internet Freedom Preservation act as well as campaigns from actors to tech-nerds. The Snow Drogan Legislation covers a lot of bases. Network operators would in no way be able to slow or stifle access to the wide range of net content. There will also be assurance that, as long as there is no security threat, external devices will be allowed use on the network. Another nice rule would be that the providers would, in the instance of creating special private pipelines, have to open them for public use. Of course the bill would allow companies to offer standalone broadband service. This does not mean that the consumer has to buy it. In the case of issues concerning the Bill, however, the Federal Communications Commission will be there to regulate.
The FCC recently accepted terms from AT@T regarding net neutrality in their merger with Bellsouth. AT@T knew this would expedite the merger although they obviously do not endorse net neutrality. AT@T as well as Verizon were among other companies which complained about the re-emergence of the Snowe-Drogan Bill. They argue that it will hinder advances in telecommunications, security, health monitoring, and entertainment choices.
Consumer advocacy groups, however championed the continued effort involving net neutrality. Sens. Barbara Boxer, John Kerry, Tom Harkin, Patrick Leahy, Hilary Clinton and Barak Obam among six democrats who co-sponsored. The only Republican, however was Snowe.
There seems to be continual effort in ensuring net neutrality in congress. I would love for the internet to be the “Wild West” forever. I believe big companies have plenty of ways to make money without tampering with internet freedom, but controlling the web would be a big money maker and companies just want to ensure that if there has to be a few they want to be in on it. It’s like selling weapons to foreign countries. It’s not right, but if someone is going to make money off of it, well, you get it. My biggest concern is that these companies will find a way to change words around enough to make it seem like net neutrality is unsafe and that there need to be more regulation in the interest of the people. People will believe just about anything.
