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The End of the Internet!

Billo_Really

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The End of the Internet?
By Jeff Chester The Nation Wednesday 01 February 2006


The nation's largest telephone and cable companies are crafting an alarming set of strategies that would transform the free, open and nondiscriminatory Internet of today to a privately run and branded service that would charge a fee for virtually everything we do online.

Verizon, Comcast, Bell South and other communications giants are developing strategies that would track and store information on our every move in cyberspace in a vast data-collection and marketing system, the scope of which could rival the National Security Agency. According to white papers now being circulated in the cable, telephone and telecommunications industries, those with the deepest pockets - corporations, special-interest groups and major advertisers - would get preferred treatment. Content from these providers would have first priority on our computer and television screens, while information seen as undesirable, such as peer-to-peer communications, could be relegated to a slow lane or simply shut out.

Under the plans they are considering, all of us - from content providers to individual users - would pay more to surf online, stream videos or even send e-mail. Industry planners are mulling new subscription plans that would further limit the online experience, establishing "platinum," "gold" and "silver" levels of Internet access that would set limits on the number of downloads, media streams or even e-mail messages that could be sent or received.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060213/chester
If we are to maintain a free society, we must voice our concerns with our political representatives.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Advertising is already part of life. TV, cinema, newspapers, internet.

To ask what would happen if the internet favoured one advertiser over another is like saying what would happen if TV companies or newpapers favoured one advertiser over another. It probably already happens. Certainly in the UK newspapers favour one political party over another and boost their cause. It is nothing new.

As for charging for internet access - I already have to pay. Again. nothing new. You want a service, then it costs.
 
I F.U.C.K.I.N.G HATE COMMERCIALS!
 
Mod Note

I edited the OP as it contained a full copyrighted article. Please limit the amount to fair use and not the whole article. Thanks.

Besides, we all know that this is the End of the Internet.

/Mod Note
 
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