Congress Poised to Unravel the Internet

The battle to maintain Network Neutrality is about to resume. To AT&T, Verizon and other large ISPs, I'm only a consumer of content and a generator of billable events. The idea that I might want to create and publish my own content is beyond their ken. They are pushing to create an Internet more like cable TV, but without the controls and oversight.

"Lured by huge checks handed out by the country's top lobbyists, members of Congress could soon strike a blow against Internet freedom as they seek to resolve the hot-button controversy over preserving "network neutrality." The telecommunications reform bill now moving through Congress threatens to be a major setback for those who hope that digital media can foster a more democratic society. The bill not only precludes net neutrality safeguards but also eliminates local community oversight of digital communications provided by cable and phone giants. It sets the stage for the privatized, consolidated and unregulated communications system that is at the core of the phone and cable lobbies' political agenda."