June 24, 2006

• Network Neutrality

  I somehow managed to come across 3 separate sites today which took the
  time to talk about "Net Neutrality". The first time I though it was
  probably nothing to worry about, and the second time I wondered, but
  the third time I figured I should see what it was about.

  Apparently, and you can get more information here,
  the big telcom corporations are lobbying (in the US) to give them the ability
  to block websites from their customers. As the hype tells it, this
  would mean that they will start charging website makers a fee, and if
  they can't pay that fee, then their site would be effectively blocked
  form the Internet. There is also speculation that they could make users
  pay a subscriber fee to get access to certain key websites.

  It's a terrifying thought. My first reaction was that people will simply
  not use the ISPs that do this. However, there really aren't that many
  ISPs. I know that here in Toronto, if you want broadband, you basically have to
  go with Bell or Rogers. I think there is a third company, but it's limited
  in it's availability. And that is in a big city. I know that there are
  many places who only have one provider.

  I'm still not convinced that it'll happen. But it could, theoretically, and that scares me a little.

  EDIT: I've just come across HandsOff.org. This is a group (or one of them) who is trying to get rid of the "Network Neutrality" law. It has some interesting members.

  • 1:21 pm
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