Network Neutrality

[gameoverDude]

This bit about "deep packet inspection" reeks of Big Brother. It looks like 1984 is happening, yet 22 years late. "Gold", "Silver", and "Platinum" internet service plans should not be allowed. Hopefully such a concept tanks like e-mail postage.

"Why should they be allowed to use my pipes? The Internet can't be free in that sense, because we and the cable companies have made an investment, and for a Google or Yahoo! or Vonage or anybody to expect to use these pipes [for] free is nuts!"

Corporate lobbyists and the politicians who suck up to them are nothing but trash. So are folks like Ed Shitacre (not a typo here- I meant that) and Kevin Martin. They don't care about us. Fuck AT&T and the FCC.

[Tracer]

Jesus... corprate mentality is insane. Literally. I think corporations should be (since, they're seen as entities by the federal government) instituted into asylums. If any other tax paying citizen would think and act like companies do they'd be in jail or the mad house.

[frostwolf ex]

"Without such a public outcry to rein in the GOP's corporate-driven agenda, it is likely that even many of the Democrats who rallied against further consolidation will be "tamed" by the well-funded lobbying campaigns of the powerful phone and cable industry."
Yay, indeed!

yah taking the editorial part of the article for fact and ignoring the facts.

[YellerDog]

yah taking the editorial part of the article for fact and ignoring the facts.

I don't dispute this.

[frostwolf ex]

that said, its probably more gop than dems, but given the pervasive nature of lobbying, its not that you are undercounting bad guys, its that you are overestimating the number of good guys its also sadly why writing wont do much good, you get a choice of voting for two guys(in most races) so the cable(i had accidentily put in oil, due to the price of gas thread..but they are a good example of this too) companies just cut their losses and grab whoever comes in blue or red, corprate evil knows no political party.

[g0zen]

It's largely GOP members, but many Dems have been wooed by the big money. A lot of it has to do with the fact that they think voters don't care, there's been ZERO interest in this by the public. Thus, my call to all of you to contact your state reps to make your voice heard. Which none of you will do, obviously, but I figured if I'm going to keep my street cred I atleast had to try.

[voltz]

Lobbying should be illegal, more and more crap like this gets shoved down our throats just because of it.

[Tones]

So, how would this affect the internet internationally? Is it implied that international telecommunications firms would simply follow suit, or would the prioritizing of internet speed not really affect them?

It's scary how much people are tracked; can you imagine what it will be like if RFID tags become integrated?

[x2y]

I'm juest learning about this after reading a message from ebay and some other board. This has got to be big if internet giants like ebay are acting like they are scared. here is the message and youtube video I came across while looking into this.

http://www.savetheinternet.com/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jHOn0EW8U

Net Neutrality and the eBay Community: A Call to Action

Dear eBay Community Member,

As you know, I almost never reach out to you personally with a request to get involved in a debate in the U.S. Congress. However, today I feel I must.

Right now, the telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.

The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.

The top tier would be a "Pay-to-Play" high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.

The bottom tier -- the slow lane -- would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information "super-highway," the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.

Today's Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. We can't give that up. A two lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies -- the companies that can't afford the high fees -- will be unable to succeed, and we'll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.

The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let's use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. Please join me by clicking here right now to send a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference.

Thank you for reading this note. I hope you'll make your voice heard today.

Sincerely,

Meg Whitman
President and CEO
eBay Inc.

P.S. If you have any questions about this issue, please contact us at government_relations@ebay.com.

[Revoltor]

LOL. eBay is the last company that should try to look high and mighty. Fuck their noise.

Anyway, so long as they don't start censoring shit, I'm ok. Anything to help wean me (and the rest of the world) off the internet is a plus in my book anyway.