US Internet Neutrality Flare-Up Resonates Across International Front

US Internet Neutrality Flare-Up Resonates Across International Front

www.ip-watch.org

Pro-neutrality groups such as Public Knowledge, Open Internet Coalition, and members of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition, blasted the proposal as one that would only benefit industry behemoths and would be a detriment to startups, consumers, and others. They argue in favour of neutrality for all parts of the internet and against allowing service providers to block or restrict certain users over others.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Should we allow multinational corporations to write the regulations that determine the future of the internet?

Many think not, including Benjamin Lennett, policy analyst for the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative.

“It should not be the policy of Federal Communications Commission nor Congress to allow the largest telecom and internet companies to write the regulations that determine the future of the internet,” said Benjamin Lennett, policy analyst for the New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative.

Are regulatory protections even necessary? Google and Verizon want wireless networks to regulate themselves...

The [Google and Verizon] proposal aims to ensure network (or “Net”) neutrality for wireline internet services but not for rapidly growing wireless ones.

Speaking for the Open Technology Initiative, Lennit says the Global Financial Meltdown taught us we cannot trust the market to regulate itself...

“If we have learned anything from the failures of financial deregulation or the past administration allowing Big Oil to write our nation’s energy policy. We cannot leave it to the market to regulate itself.”

In the meantime, Net Neutrality Advocates in other nations fear that US regulations will be exported around the world in "free trade" agreements.

Luis Villarroel, director of investigations for the Latin American Corporation for Research of Intellectual Property for Development, or Corporación Innovarte, in Chile, fears that whatever model of neutrality is adopted in the United States will later be “exported to the rest of the world” via free trade agreements – the mode in which he says America has been pushing other solutions to issues such as domain-name resolution and internet service provider (ISP) liability.

Global corporate behemoths do use "free trade" agreements to impose their terms on nations, and usurp nations' sovereign powers.

Sounds like the US better get it right the first time around.






www.ip-watch.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

When the net neutrality ordeal broke a couple weeks ago, I knew that it was over. Despite all of the protesting, all of the fighting, the lobbying, the petitions and even the threats; there is no way to stop this. It's going to happen whether we like it or not. The powers that be have finally found a way to curtail the freedom of information on the web. I'd suggest moving elsewhere once this takes effect. I have my sights set on Germany.

reply to post by DocEmrick

When the net neutrality ordeal broke a couple weeks ago, I knew that it was over. Despite all of the protesting, all of the fighting, the lobbying, the petitions and even the threats; there is no way to stop this. It's going to happen whether we like it or not. The powers that be have finally found a way to curtail the freedom of information on the web.

You know...that has to be one of the most depressing posts I've ever read...if they actually manage to get their freaking dirty claws into this one last free and open channel of information we have, well lets just say I hope the world ends on 2012, may it be a quick death.

reply to post by soficrow

Should we allow multinational corporations to write the regulations that determine the future of the internet?

And don't forget, these multinational corporations are now full-fledged citizens of the United States thanks to our Supreme Court, free to spend as much money on lobbying and political backing as they need to, to get their way.

reply to post by DocEmrick


It won't matter where you go. The terms will become standard for all "free trade" agreements and exported round the world.

I do wonder about Google's position though:

Google denies it has “sold out” on Net neutrality, calling the proposal the “best policy solution we could devise together.” “Given political realities,” the company said, “this particular issue has been intractable in Washington for several years now. At this time there are no enforceable protections … against even the worst forms of carrier discrimination against internet traffic.”

Watcha think?

Seems they're saying it's the very best they could negotiate. ...With who? The other big boyz? The government? The ACTA writers/negotiators? The 'free trade' behemoths?

Don't forget, this is really about Intellectual Property Rights for business (GE, GM, chemicals, etc), not music and videos....

UPDATE: GOOD NEWS

This fight is not over yet, so don't relax - there's a vote coming up on September 23, 2010. But so far, so good...

FCC Chair Reaffirms Support for Net Neutrality

Yesterday,the Federal Communications Commission chairman said he supports "strong net neutrality rules that would prevent Internet service providers from discriminating against certain types of content on their network." ...

"If we're going to lead the world in economic growth, investment, innovation and job creation in the 21st century, we need broadband that is fast, affordable and open," Julius Genachowski said at a broadband summit today at the University of Minnesota.

"Achieving these goals, including preserving Internet freedom, is essential for consumers, entrepreneurs, small businesses everywhere," he added.

"Internet users, not service providers, should be deciding what content and services they get when they go on the Internet."

And my apologies - I meant to post links for ATS articles on Net Neutrality earlier but got delayed. Here's the short list, lots of excellent work:

Net neutrality is about to end, you will be restricted online

Tea Party Groups Out AGAINST Net Neutrality

Net neutrality threatened by Google/Verizon


Court Rules Against FCC's Comcast Net Neutrality Decision

Court: FCC has no power to regulate Net neutrality

McCain introduces bill to block FCC's net neutrality rules

FCC to propose 'Net neutrality' rules

European Net Neutrality being threatened?

The "information highway" to become a "toll road".....the end to "net neutrality"

And of course...

Conspiracy Chicks #4: Internet Neutrality & Oil Under The Sand

ooops

[edit on 24-8-2010 by soficrow]