by Josh Silver President, Free Press August 5, 2010 from HuffingtonPost Website
For years, Internet advocates have warned of the doomsday scenario that will play out on Monday:
The deal marks the beginning of the end of the Internet as you know it.
Since its beginnings, the Net was a level
playing field that allowed all content to move at the same speed, whether
it's ABC News or your uncle's video blog. That's all about to change, and
the result couldn't be more bleak for the future of the Internet, for
television, radio and independent voices.
Yes, more than half of the US congress will do pretty much whatever the phone and cable companies ask them to.
Add the clout of
Google, and you have near-complete
control of Capitol Hill.
A problem just for Internet geeks? You wish.
All video, radio, phone and other services will
soon be delivered through an Internet connection. Ending Net Neutrality
would end the revolutionary potential that any website can act as a
television or radio network. It would spell the end of our opportunity to
wrest access and distribution of media content away from the handful of
massive media corporations that currently control the television and radio
dial.
This Google-Verizon deal, this industry-captured FCC, and the way this is playing out is akin to the largest banks and the largest hedge funds writing the regulatory policy on derivative trading without any oversight or input from the public, and having it rubber stamped by the SEC.
It's like BP and Halliburton ironing out the
rules for offshore oil drilling with no public input, and having
MMS sign
off.
...and many others.
But they will not be able to turn this tide unless they have massive, visible support from every American who uses the Internet - whether it's for news, email, shopping, Facebook, Twitter - whatever.
So stop what you're doing and tell them you're not letting the Internet go the way of Big Oil and Big Banks.
The future of the Internet, and your access to
information depends on it.
Notice how a company can change their tune in the name of profit-making.
From Google in 2006:
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