The beginning of the end?

Posted Friday, May 26th 2006

As I was doing my daily tech news rounds, I came across this article on the CNN website. In essence, it discusses the effort made by telecom companies in the US to enforce a “two-tier” internet. Basically, this means that bandwidth would become even more expensive, and websites that can afford it, would have fast connections, while other websites, would not. This is being discussed in the US congress right now, and if the corporations have their way with it, it spells bad news for the rest of us.

If this comes to be, it will affect the Internet experience all over the world. A very good example is set on CNN - imagine trying to open up your favourite blogger’s blog, but can’t, because he didn’t pay for a fast connection for his website. It would be the end of start-ups, independant bloggers & communities.. Not to mention that it would put even more stress on online advertising, which is rampant already, and will further ruin the way we access the Internet.

Another great example of corporations taking what is a great, revolutionary thing, and turning it into another cash cow, that will eventually succumb to the pressure, and implode on itself.

Lets just hope it never happens.

Update: Strict Net Neutrality bill has passed some sort of a committee. This bill would make it a violation to “block impair, discriminate or interfere with anyone’s services or applications or content”. While I am no legal expert, I have had some contact with legal aspects of IT during my undergraduate studies, and it seems to be legit. Ofcourse, as any legal document, it is quite confusing, but there’s a pretty good explanation on Ars Technica.

Source: Ars Technica: Strict Net neutrality passes House Committee, but fate is rather uncertain.