I'm bloody exhausted so I'm gonna try and do this quickly -- fortunately I'm someone who can do a zero-to-60 on fumes. Besides, this won't wait.
It's coming up to crunch time for "Net Neutrality." This is a huge issue for us all!
What is "Net Neutrality"?
Here's how www.SaveTheInternet.com puts it:
Net Neutrality is the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet.
Net Neutrality means that Internet service providers may not discriminate between different kinds of content and applications online. It guarantees a level playing field for all Web sites and Internet technologies.
Net Neutrality is the reason the Internet has driven economic innovation, democratic participation and free speech online. It protects the consumer's right to use any equipment, content, application or service without interference from the network provider. With Net Neutrality, the network's only job is to move data -- not to choose which data to privilege with higher quality service.
What's That Mean for Us?
The long and short of it is that, once again, big corporations are trying to steal something from us and make a load of money. There are ramifications here for free speech, access to information, democracy... all kinds of very serious issues.
It has happened before! The airwaves are actually public property: just like air itself. Well, at least they were until the corporate media stole them from us and made television and radio into money-making ventures.
A Little More From www.SaveTheInternet.com
The nation's largest telephone and cable companies -- including AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time-Warner Cable -- want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all.
They want to tax content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data. And they want to discriminate in favor of their own search engines, Internet phone services and streaming video -- while slowing down or blocking services offered by their competitors.
These companies have a new vision for the Internet. Instead of a level playing field, they want to reserve express lanes for their own content and services -- or those of big corporations that can afford the steep tolls -- and leave the rest of us on a winding dirt road.
The big phone and cable companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to gut Net Neutrality, putting the future of the Internet at risk.
What You Can Do
This is all coming to a head in less than a week in a vote on December 21 at the diabolical FCC (Federal Communications Commission). There are plenty of ways to make your voice heard. Search the Net while it's still relatively free to do so and find some outlets. Or make some calls.
You could also start with this online petition.
Conclusion
This is a huge deal. The Internet is a place where all voices can be heard with some sort of equality. If Net Neutrality is squashed, you can kiss all that goodbye.
And that will diminish our effectiveness in fighting the good fight on every issue you can name.
Ironically, some corporations that would get pounded in the wallet by the death of Net Neutrality are actually on our side this time. You gotta love that, baby!
Goodnight!
Adrian Zupp
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