Net Neutrality Explained

Chuck Newton over at his blog, Spare Room Tycoon has a post today about Net Neutrality.

"There is an attack on Net Neutrality in this country as I blog. Since the Robber Barron days we have had what are known as "common carriage" rules in this country, which provide in part that services subject to interstate commerce must be offered on non-discriminatory basis, neutral as to users and use."

Chuck provided the below video that does a great job of explaining net neutrality and what it means to you and me. I need to say that I am sorry for not getting on this sooner. But, I would agree with everyone that the net must remain neutral. Watch the video.

Comments

[HandsOffTheInternet]

I would urge you to take a look at both sides of this important debate. My coalition's blog has an alternative view on the net neutrality discussion: http://handsoff.org

I'd also note that the assertion that the net is currently neutral is a false one. To quote from The Economist last week:

"For a start, the internet is not, in fact, neutral today. Fast broadband connections already cost more than slower ones, for consumers and businesses alike. As well as buying fast pipes and building huge “server farms”, big companies such as Google and eBay also pay extra for specialist “content delivery” services, such as Akamai, to make their websites download even faster. None of this has hampered innovation or hurt small companies."

You can read the entire excerpt of the article here: http://www.techliberation.com/archives/040941.php

[David Abeshouse]

Grant:

Thanks for providing this excellent short video, which explains well a subject with which I was acquainted only at a basic definitional level; the significance of net neutrality now appears all the more pressing, because if it is allowed to be eroded, it'll be a very slippery slope from there. Far better to nip in the bud the practices that threaten it. I commend to all the investment of 3 minutes to learn more about this important issue that could affect us increasingly over the coming months and years.

Best regards,

David Abeshouse

NY

[Danielle Keister]

Thanks for sharing this, Grant. We've had a running conversation on the topic of Net Neutrality over that the Virtual Assistance Chamber of Commerce since top of this year, and I've added a link to your site so our members can view the video. It's so important to spread the word and raise peoples' awareness.