This is bad......Right?

[Monica]

http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/29086

http://www.savetheinternet.com/

Can they really do that? :confused:

[MottZilla]

Yes they can. Congress can fuck up anything. Ofcourse it's all related to greedy companies.

[rocksfan13]

That happens and watch the internet prices soar like gas prices.
Not good.

[ShadowTiger]

Cause:
Last fall, however, the Federal Communications Commission, backed by the U.S. Supreme Court, decided that the high-speed Internet services offered by the cable and telephone companies didn’t fall under that law, the Communications Act. Out the window went the law that treated everyone equally. Now, with broadband, we are in a new game without rules.

Effect:
Telephone and cable companies own 98% of the high-speed broadband networks the public uses to go online for reading news, shopping, listening to music, posting videos or any of the thousands of other uses developed for the Internet. But that isn’t enough. They want to control what you read, see or hear online. The companies say that they will create premium lanes on the Internet for higher fees, and give preferential access to their own services and those who can afford extra charges. The rest of us will be left to use an inferior version of the Internet.
(No, don't take the "cause" and "effect" seriously. They're just summaries. STFU, lol.)

Scary.

Very, ... very scary.

*Places http://www.savetheinternet.com/ (http://www.savetheinternet.com/) into his sig. Ponders making a sig button*

[Aegix Drakan]

(jaw drops in shock)

What...the...F###...

That is total Bullshit. the internet is supposed to be neutral. and they're gonna control what we do online now?!? they want to give richer sites Preferential treatement?

(looks into the future and sees "1984" becoming reality)

>_< something must be done. and it has to be done NOW!

[rocksfan13]

Being that it's the government doing it, even if we tried they still wouldn't give a shit.

[vegeta1215]

I can't believe this garbage. Upon reading this thread I immediately went to their "Act Now" page and entered my info so they could submit letters to my senators and representatives. If anyone else wants to do the same, here's the link: http://action.freepress.net/campaign/savethenet

[Jigglysaint]

I take it this is their ultimate plan to control piracy, right? It's easy, if you restict access except to people who pay lots of money, then they can easily control the content. See, anybody getting premium services won't be anonymous, so they can't break the law or they will go to jail. Those who are, won't buy the service, and can't post pirate material.

If the Bush adminstration does not want to be assasinated, they should leave well enough alone. My fears is that taking away the internet from many people will cripple the country, as there will be lots of people who are addicted who can't fufill their needs(watching porn). Thank God I live in Canada, and I hope we don't do anything this stupid, and I hope we stand up to the US when it comes to them trying to force their beleifs down our throats.

[Aegix Drakan]

(applauds Jigglysaint)

that's right! the US has no business messing with our business!

Canada FTW!

[ZTC]

I'm sending a letter in now.
Seeing this has made me go into something akin to a grevious rage.

[koopa]

I fully agree with the "save the internet" campaign.

I decide what I want to read online. Not some company. And in my opinion no-one should 'own' the internet.


This isn’t just speculation -- we've already seen what happens elsewhere when the Internet's gatekeepers get too much control. Last year, Canada's version of AT&T -- Telus -- blocked their Internet customers from visiting a Web site sympathetic to workers with whom Telus was negotiating. And Shaw, a major Canadian cable company, charges an extra $10 a month to subscribers who dare to use a competing Internet telephone service.

Sorry, Canadians.

There's a simple way to fight this - apart from joining the campaign - don't pay for those 'premium' services.

[Aegix Drakan]

I sent my letter.

For some reason it didn't go throught though...

I'M IN FAVOUR A OF A PURE AND FREE INTERNET, DAMMIT!

[rocksfan13]

Gee... I wonder why. Damn politicians. Stick this in your bill .l..
I think they're threatened by anything truley free!

[Lilith]

Am I the only one thinking the government has gone completely nuts lately? I mean seriously...we've had ALL kinds of scandals, lifestyle laws, etc all going bonkers lately. You'd think if they wanted us to still think they were sane, they'd like...space out the crap just a bit instead of keeping it back to back? This is crazy.

[Archibaldo]

This is only going to end in some one getting killed. Don't know who yet, but some one. And you all know it.

Couldn't some one motion a law to allow cable and telephone providers to sell high-speed internet?

[Verman]

its a big pile of bullshit... they always do shit like this, or stories like this pop up all over. I want to see how this will have such a huge impact... so much international shit...

someones just being an idiot and reading to much into something i believe.


Not as bad as that whole the internet is goign to be policed thing that went around.... how the hell would you police the net??????? impossible...all it would do is slow down the regular user, the guys with more knowledge would do what they always do and get around in all.

[teddyboy420]

This isn't really all that new news, but it is rediculous. It just goes to show how much power the big corporations have. Hell, at one time paying for television or radio was unheard of, but look how that turned out. It's kind of the same thing with the internet, the big corporations realize that they can't get thier grubby hands on any of the cash that is passing through it, so they are doing anything they can to get in on it. Really, they make a fortune just providing access to the internet, they are just being greedy now. And I really hate to say this, but it looks like this is actually going to be passed through congress b/c the big corporations have lobbied for it so much. They literally have bought off many of the votes by making legal bribes called campaign contributions that will of course sway the politicians to vote in thier favor.

Never-the-less the average American needs to be informed about this and quickly b/c if this bill passes it's almost assuredely too late. The idea of giving priority access to those that pay more is just completely un-American and un-constitional. The biggest problem with this idea is that it stifles free speech, which is what America is built on essentially. On top of that it takes away the chance for every small buisness idea using the internet to start up b/c they'd have to line the big corporations pockets to get equal treatment. The whole thing is completely un-American.

I think it probably will get passed through congress b/c of all the lobbying, and then our moronic President will most likely allow it to pass b/c he cares more for the huge corporations than he does the average American citizen.

Really our only hope is that once it passes it is brought before the Supreme Court who I am sure will find it un-Constitutional. My only fear there is all these new justices that Bush is getting to appoint, they are all strongly conservative Republicans which means they too tend to lean in the direction of the rich, powerfull and the large corporations. But I think (hope) even with all that the right thing will eventually be done. It is just wayyy too un-constitutional to last

[Monica]

This isn't really all that new news, but it is rediculous. It just goes to show how much power the big corporations have. Hell, at one time paying for television or radio was unheard of, but look how that turned out. It's kind of the same thing with the internet, the big corporations realize that they can't get thier grubby hands on any of the cash that is passing through it, so they are doing anything they can to get in on it. Really, they make a fortune just providing access to the internet, they are just being greedy now. And I really hate to say this, but it looks like this is actually going to be passed through congress b/c the big corporations have lobbied for it so much. They literally have bought off many of the votes by making legal bribes called campaign contributions that will of course sway the politicians to vote in thier favor.

Never-the-less the average American needs to be informed about this and quickly b/c if this bill passes it's almost assuredely too late. The idea of giving priority access to those that pay more is just completely un-American and un-constitional. The biggest problem with this idea is that it stifles free speech, which is what America is built on essentially. On top of that it takes away the chance for every small buisness idea using the internet to start up b/c they'd have to line the big corporations pockets to get equal treatment. The whole thing is completely un-American.

I think it probably will get passed through congress b/c of all the lobbying, and then our moronic President will most likely allow it to pass b/c he cares more for the huge corporations than he does the average American citizen.

Really our only hope is that once it passes it is brought before the Supreme Court who I am sure will find it un-Constitutional. My only fear there is all these new justices that Bush is getting to appoint, they are all strongly conservative Republicans which means they too tend to lean in the direction of the rich, powerfull and the large corporations. But I think (hope) even with all that the right thing will eventually be done. It is just wayyy too un-constitutional to last

Waaaaaaaait a minute, the article says only one republican voted on it and about three democrats did. This would be a Democrat thing for the most part, thank you...^^


Here’s the inside baseball: A couple of weeks ago, a courageous band of legislators tried to stop the madness in Subcommittee. Ed Markey, Rick Boucher, Anna Eshoo and Jay Inslee proposed some good language to protect the Internet. For their troubles, they just got four more votes, other than theirs. Just three Democrats, other than the sponsors, voted for it. Only one Republican voted for it. When we talk about special interest giveaways, this one will be at the top of the list. And we won’t have only Republicans to blame.

[teddyboy420]

Waaaaaaaait a minute, the article says only one republican voted on it and about three democrats did. This would be a Democrat thing for the most part, thank you...^^

Not true at all. Actually, the initial proposal was made by a Republican and was seconded by a Democrat. You are right though a large number of those who have voted so far have been Democrats, although most that voted against it are also Democrats. However, a few Republicans have voted for it so far, while few have voted against it.

This bill has all the workings of a Repulblican idea though. It does nothing for the working man and everything for the rich and large corporations and that is the Republican agenda.

edit: I forgot the link to a good map showing all of the reps to have voted on it so far:

Here we go : http://www.savetheinternet.com/=map

[Monica]

Not true at all. Actually, the initial proposal was made by a Republican and was seconded by a Democrat. You are right though a large number of those who have voted so far have been Democrats, although most that voted against it are also Democrats. However, a few Republicans have voted for it so far, while few have voted against it.

This bill has all the workings of a Repulblican idea though. It does nothing for the working man and everything for the rich and large corporations and that is the Republican agenda.

edit: I forgot the link to a good map showing all of the reps to have voted on it so far:

Here we go : http://www.savetheinternet.com/=map

Oh my fault, but you can't throw this all on the republicans is what I was trying to say. :)

[ctrl-alt-delete]

Do you guys really believe that the government is not already controlling half of what we can and cannot see, even if it is just them monitoring what we are looking at?

Do you guys really believe that some hacker somewhere will not find a way around this?

Do you guys not remember the last 87,000,000 times somebody tried to control computers or the internet in some way, shape, or form?

You are all so paranoid. Get some sleep.

Even if this does go through, the effects will be minimal.

And yes, you can quote me on that. In fact, can an administrator archive this...or at least send it to GB so I can say what I really want?

[MottZilla]

The problem is neither Republican or Democrat, it's fucktards and special interest groups that need to be gruesomely murdered as soon as possible. Infact nowdays we could use alot of murdering of certain people. We need more people that have nothing left to live for to go start killing these people in bloody rampages. =) Unfortunately there's no petition for that yet.