Fight for Net Neutrality

FreePress has the story on the telecoms' bid to destroy the free Internet:

A new fight is brewing over the future of communications in the United States. It pits the nation's largest cable and telephone companies against those who believe the Internet should support the free and independent flow of ideas.

Broadband is the battleground. As more Americans upgrade to high-speed Internet connections, the companies that control the "pipes" are plotting out new ways to profit from the demand. The telco and cable giants want to fence off the Internet: one area for the haves — who will pay a premium to enjoy life in the fast lane — and the other for the have-nots.

The innovation and creativity of the Internet are the result of its foundation as an open roadway. At serious risk is the idea of "network neutrality" — a guiding principle of the Internet that ensures all users can access the content or run the applications and devices of their choice. Corporate greed threatens to bring the Internet’s promise of advanced communications for all to a halt.

Just last week, a House subcommittee rejected by a 23-8 vote an amendment by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) that would have required net neutrality.

If we don't act, the free Internet as we know it may cease to exist. Learn more about the threat here and what you can do to fight it.