Every time I write one of these stories I will remind you of how stupid some of our elected officials are when it comes to technology.
Despite net neutrality rules getting a big wad of Benjamins shoved up its butt by corporate America, democrats in the United States House of Representatives and Senate today introduced a new bill that would reinstate the protections for a free and open Internet.
The Open Internet Preservation Act would essentially return the FCC’s ability to prevent ISPs from charging both third-party content providers like Netflix or Steam and consumers for specific types of traffic. If you’re a big Internet user, losing these protections spells big trouble for your billing, download speeds, and more.
This follow the recent decision to repeal the FCC's Net Neutrality rules.
ISPs have long argued that regulating the way they bill users and content providers has hindered them from investing in infrastructure, but Net Neutrality proponents argue that the consumer-to-ISP relationship shouldn’t be dependent on what the corporation sees fit, what the corporation wants to charge, or what you want to look at on the Internet, especially given that the infrastructure is under your lawn, your streets, your homes.
The relationship you have with your ISP should be that of business and consumer. Sure, Comcast or Time Warner Cable might not like sending gigabytes of hardcore pornography your way, but you certainly shouldn’t be charged more for the fierce abuse you hand yourself every day as part of your God-given rights as an American.
If you dropped cable for Netflix and Hulu, for example, you shouldn’t be charged more for your Internet just because Verizon wants you to buy their 200 channel package full of bull crap you’re not going to watch.
With the Internet supporting outside voices not just here at home but all around the world, it would seem that all Internet users have a reason to lean on the Republican controller House of Representatives at this moment.
According to the National Journal, the Open Internet Preservation Act has little hope of becoming a law at this stage given the Repulican-controlled and therefore corporate-controlled House of Representatives won’t hold a vote anytime soon. Note: I’m not saying Democrats aren’t in the pockets of big business leaders too, but that this is likely a push by Dems to maintain the positive favor they have going into 2014 elections.
If you’d like to see the Open Internet Preservation Act make it through both chambers, check Contacting the Congress for information on reaching out to share your opinions and thoughts on Net Neutrality.
