Don't take the Internet for granted
Jan. 23rd, 2006 11:23 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jaunthieTelecommunication companies would like to permanently change the way the Internet works - and they will if we let them. From today's Washington Post:
"The changes may sound subtle, but make no mistake: The telecommunications companies' proposals have the potential, within just a few years, to alter the flow of commerce and information -- and your personal experience -- on the Internet. For the first time, the companies that own the equipment that delivers the Internet to your office, cubicle, den and dorm room could, for a price, give one company priority on their networks over another."
In other words, the Fox News Web site could be much faster and accept more hits than the CNN Web site, simply because Fox pays AT&T Bell South a fee.
You can read the entire article here. I suggest you do so, and think about what this could mean - and then think about how we can stop this from happening. Carriers should remain neutral. If they don't, the entire face of the Internet can and will change, and I don't think it will be for the better.
"The changes may sound subtle, but make no mistake: The telecommunications companies' proposals have the potential, within just a few years, to alter the flow of commerce and information -- and your personal experience -- on the Internet. For the first time, the companies that own the equipment that delivers the Internet to your office, cubicle, den and dorm room could, for a price, give one company priority on their networks over another."
In other words, the Fox News Web site could be much faster and accept more hits than the CNN Web site, simply because Fox pays AT&T Bell South a fee.
You can read the entire article here. I suggest you do so, and think about what this could mean - and then think about how we can stop this from happening. Carriers should remain neutral. If they don't, the entire face of the Internet can and will change, and I don't think it will be for the better.
