Net Neutrality - threat to freedom on the Internet

[Socks]

I know this is not a political board, so mods if you feel you need to erase this, please do so, but this impacts this board as well, so thought I'd post.

For those of you who do not know, Net Neutrality referst to the fact that any site on the Internet can be viewed just as easily as another. For example, LG can be viewed just as fast as any other site out there, like ESPN.

Internet providers like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon, etc. are throwing tons of money lobbying congress to do everything they can to do away with this. If these Internet providers can charge anyone with a web site to give that web site higher priority, it's more money in their pockets, and large corporations that have money to spend are able to pay to get their sites preferential treatment - meaning they will control which Web sites go fast or slow and which won't load at all.

Imagine ESPN paying Comcast to make sure the NBA message boards on ESPN would download very fast, and giving LG and other smaller sites practically no bandwidth, so that if you tried to log on it would take you 10 minutes to do so.

They want to tax content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data. They want to discriminate in favor of their own search engines, Internet phone services, and streaming video — while slowing down or blocking their competitors.

For a good FAQ on this, see: http://www.savetheinternet.com/=faq#help

How this affects you: http://www.savetheinternet.com/=threat

Recently, the House voted against an ammendment that would make Net Neutrality enforceable and this is now moving to the Senate.

This threat is real. Here's what you can do about it:

Sign the SavetheInternet.com petition.

Call your representative today and demand that Net Neutrality be protected.

Encourage groups you're part of to please join the SavetheInternet.com Coalition.

Show your support for Internet freedom on your Web site or blog.

Tell your friends about this crucial issue before it's too late.

[Bergamotichek]

Yes, it is a political topic.

However, its one that is directly connected to our board and its future.

So... I'll compromise. Thread gets locked... but I'll sticky it.