That’s how the country’s most sacred document, the “Declaration of Independence” reads.

Unfortunately, the time has come when we need a similar statement protecting the Internet…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all “information” is created equal and should be treated as such.
Call the document “The Declaration of Net Neutrality”.

I don’t mean to be melodramatic but I believe a monumental, intellectual challenge looms ahead concerning the flow of information on the Internet. At risk is the concept of Net Neutrality or “equality” of information.

Last week Google and Verizon struck a deal to create a system where “some information is more equal than other” (excuse the Orwellian reference). In other words the agreement between Verizon and Google would allow certain pieces of information to travel to an Internet user faster IF its creator “pays a higher fee”. This agreement threatens to destroy Net Neutrality.

Check out this quote from web guru Tim Berners-Lee:

Control of information is hugely powerful. In the US, the threat is that companies can control what I access for commercial reasons. In China, companies could control what users access for political reasons. Freedom of connection with any application to any party is the fundamental social basis of the Internet.

Bravo Tim! You’ve stated the dangers of eliminating Net Neutrality perfectly.

YES even without Net Neutrality you WILL still have access to all information, but premium providers (those are the ones that pay a fee) will send their information to you faster, hence influencing where you go to get information.

Look at it this way…lets say you are heading out to eat with your wife. You pull into a restaurant and the hostess tells you the wait is 45 minutes…you’re too hungry to wait 45 minutes so you get back in the car and drive across the street to another restaurant…the wait there is only 5 minutes. Where do you eat? Its a no brainer…you eat where the food is provided faster.

Think this is a stretch? Ask yourself…how many times have you “X” out of a site because it was taking too long to load…see, I’m right.

But there is still hope that the federal government will step in and void this dangerous agreement between Google and Verizon preserving the idea of equality…as it did back in 1776.

One Response to Net Neutrality in Danger

1. C R Krieger says: August 13, 2010 at 11:18 am

   “On the one hand information wants to be expensive, because it’s so valuable.  The right information in the right place just changes your life.  On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time.  So you have these two fighting against each other.”
   Stewart Brand

   I have always misunderstood “Information wants to be free” because I see it as saying that information wants to be liberated and flow like water.  This being good for democracy.  The alliance between Google and Verizon is not a good thing, I agree.  I am not keen on Governments regulating net content either.

   Regards  —  Cliff