(Yeah, I know ... this, right after I blast hippies and praise corporations. But seriously ... copy and paste this shit (below this) and put it everywhere. I took this from another site ... you can take it from here:)
The Internet is in trouble.
Big Trouble!
Let us make this simple:
Telecommunication companies want to charge websites different prices for moving different types of data across "their" lines.
If you host videos and other "bandwidth intensive" content, your hosting bill will go up!
The days of free streaming audio and video content from your favorite sites, like MySpace, Yahoo, and others, like Google, and YouTube will be gone!
The problem is that if we allow the telecommunications companies to decide which data is more important and should be moved faster, they're going to pick the data that they are getting PAID the most for.
Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist.org explains where this will lead in this article on CNN.com:
Let's say you call Joe's Pizza and the first thing you hear is a message saying you'll be connected in a minute or two, but if you want, you can be connected to Pizza Hut right away. That's not fair, right? You called Joe's and want some Joe's pizza. Well, that's how some telecommunications executives want the Internet to operate, with some Web sites easier to access than others. For them, this would be a money-making regime.
This issue and fight revolves around the concept of Net Neutrality. The concept is that everyone and every type of data gets equal access to the data pipes that make up the internet.
As Craig Newmark says, "When the Internet is neutral, everyone can use it, just like everyone can use public roads or airwaves. All businesses on the Internet get an equal shot at success."
The lobbyists for the telecommunication companies say that they'll only charge extra for "premium routing".
Bullshit.
Billy-Bob Smith, the CTO for BellSouth in Altanta told told the Washington Post he should be able to charge Yahoo extra so that its search engine would load faster than Google's.
In his own words, "If I go to the airport, I can buy a coach standby ticket or a first-class ticket," Smith said. "In the shipping business, I can get two-day air or six-day ground."
Also, don't think we're just talking about video files!
Anyone got a Vonage line? Yeah, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is FUCKED if this goes through.
Think about it, the companies pushing for these laws are the PHONE companies.
They'd just love to force you back to paying ridiculous rates for local and long distance calling!
The Internet was FOUNDED on the idea of equal access. It has thrived and pushed our economy on this principle.
Do not think this is just some greedy grab of the Telco Industry that won't get anywhere!
It is hard to believe, but lawmakers in the House of Representatives have ALREADY passed a law (the COPE Act) allowing this.
The Senate is now debating a similar law (The Consumer's Choice and Broadband Deployment Act).
Time to get involved fuckers! Do something to protect YOUR Internet!
Look, we're not asking you to spend any money. Just post on your blogs, email your friends, let everyone know what's going on!
Also, HIT THIS LINK.
If you never do anything else for any cause for the rest of your life, HIT THIS LINK!
It'll link you over to a page on SaveTheInternet.com with a list of seven things you can do to help the fight.
The first link is the easiest. It gives you a form to fill in that will email your representatives in Congress. Believe it or not, this shit works.
You tell these fuckers that you care about this and that you VOTE.
Enough of us do this and the fuckers will actually listen.
Not that they give a fuck about us or our opinions. But they damn sure want to get reelected!
For those looking for extra credit or who are actually interested, here's some more useful links:
Craig Newmark's Article on CNN.com
Internet Activist Cory Doctorow's Article on InformationWeek.com
Wikipedia Definition of Network Neutrality
SaveTheInternet.com - EVERYTHING You Need To Know!
(Feel free to copy and post this everywhere. I got it from one of my favorite sites, http://www.consumptionjunction.com.)
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