Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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October 19, 2006

Net Neutrality 10-19-2006

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 4:18 am

Net Neutrality Links

I’m adding this link to the Net Neutrality Page.

No Room for Neutrality on Net Neutrality

Imagine the Internet as being like cable television. To access websites of your choosing, you’ll have to pay extra to your Internet service provider (ISP). To put up your own website or blog, you’ll have to pay an additional surcharge to ensure that your website is easily accessible to your friends. If your ISP has a special relationship with, for example, Barnes & Noble, then you may not be able to easily access its rival Amazon.com, or independent booksellers like Pages for All Ages. There’s even a chance that your ISP will decide to block certain content (like political websites challenging its authority) or ban certain devices (like free Internet phone service)––all for your own good, of course.

If powerful interests get their way, this nightmare scenario could easily become the new reality. Up until now, a safeguard called “net neutrality” has prevented this from happening. But at this very moment, the fate of net neutrality rests on legislation pending in Congress.

[ . . . ]

Looking ahead, the stakes are even higher. In the coming years, with increased convergence and decreased numbers of market players, Americans will be forced to rely on single providers to deliver so-called “triple play”––Internet, television, and phone––via one pipe to each household. This creates the potential for one telecom giant to take control over all of these media––not just in terms of pricing, but, without net neutrality, gate-keeping power over all content as well.

Want to know what you can do?
MA Bell Monopoly Versus the Free Internet — Tell the FCC Net Neutrality Is Not Negotiable

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related
NET NEUTRALITY PAGE





Filed under Business Life, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog, Trends | 6 Comments »




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6 Comments to “Net Neutrality 10-19-2006”

  1. October 19th, 2006 at 7:37 am
    katiebird said

    Liz,
    This is actually one of the reasons why we use one cable provider for TV and a different one for the Internet. (we’re lucky to have a choice in our neighborhood — the don’t just a couple of blocks over)

    We also don’t particularly want any one company to have a total history of all our media habits.

  2. October 19th, 2006 at 7:39 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Katie,
    We do the same thing. Probably we do it for the same reasons. I just had the weirdest thought go through my mind. A tag phrase . . .

    Defensive Living.

    Oh how awful. :)

  3. October 19th, 2006 at 7:41 am
    katiebird said

    Defensive Living. Yes. Oh, dear. If it wasn’t for the Internet, I’d want to become a forest person and leave it all behind ….

  4. October 19th, 2006 at 7:43 am
    ME Strauss said

    Yep, I hear you. I’d have a flower farm where I can’t hear machines.

  5. October 19th, 2006 at 7:44 am
    katiebird said

    And I wouldn’t be running off to work now….

  6. October 19th, 2006 at 7:49 am
    ME Strauss said

    Have a fine day!

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