Net Neutrality – PBS NOW Part 2/2
Is the wild west culture of the Internet about to become a thing of the past? Big business is staking its claim on the information superhighway, lobbying Congress for an exclusive faster lane, which consumers could end up paying for. This week on NOW we look at a major battle brewing in Washington D.C. over the future of the Internet.
We follow the story of Blip.tv, an ambitious video-streaming startup. They’re fighting for a corner of the Internet marketplace in the midst of a battle over so-called ‘net neutrality’ — the idea that all Internet content and websites are given the same access to audiences and customers.
If telecommunication giants have their way, companies like Blip.tv might be forced to compete in a marketplace wherein firms with large coffers can buy access to greater bandwidth and faster Internet speeds, leaving sites who can’t afford to pay in the slow lane.
Craig Aaron of Free Press, a media watchdog group, says big telecom companies have declared open season on ‘Net neutrality.’ He’s afraid these companies will dictate how we use the Internet.
“I think one of the beauties of the Internet is that it’s been open to views across the political spectrum. And if you hand the control of the information so that some can be preferred over others, you’re going to be handing that control to the big media companies that already control our television, airwaves, radio, you name it,” Aaron says.
For their part, telecom companies argue that a fast lane on the Internet for those willing to pay will allow them to make a return on their multibillion-dollar investment in broadband infrastructure. At present, companies such as Verizon and AT&T only charge for access to the Internet, but make virtually no money from content.
“It’s just, by the way, the same reason why we take 18 wheeler semi-trailers and make them pay more in federal highway taxes than someone who drives their family in a mini-van: because they are putting more load on the infrastructure and therefore should pay a higher rate,” says Mike McCurry, head of Hands Off the Internet.
His group, backed by a number of telecom companies, says that many web companies are making billions off the Internet but are not willing to pitch in to upgrade its infrastructure. The telecom companies have launched an aggressive, multi-million dollar advertising campaign against web giants such as Google and Amazon arguing “they don’t want to pay for anything.”
Those who support net neutrality — including a broad coalition of consumer groups, higher education organizations, special interests, and Internet companies — say the telecoms just want to increase their profits. They fear that the proposed two-tiered Internet would kill a democratic marketplace wherein small businesses compete on an equal footing with giants of commerce.
Duration : 0:7:25
[youtube v848i8lQkMI]
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Anybody use Skype? …
Anybody use Skype? Without net neutrality, your ISP (Comcast, Time Warner, etc) can regulate any Skype traffic. Why would your ISP do this?…because, your ISP probably has its own VoIP phone service that it offers to customers (for a nominal fee). Therefore, Skype is viewed by your ISP as an unfriendly competitor. Your ISP can regulate Skype traffic in subtle ways, slowing it down so videochat is impossible, thus making Skype look like the culprit…Or, the ISP can block Skype altogether.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
@darkblood626 …
@darkblood626 Copyright infringement. stealing is stealing.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
@kangalanatolian …
@kangalanatolian Obviously the monoploy doesn’t exist, we’d be if it did. The point of the video is to raise awareness that we’re needing to keep a monopoly from happening. ISP’s see a golden chance to make a lot of money, and gain control over the internet. sick em’ government.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
@afridge13 Sarcasm …
@afridge13 Sarcasm is a good choice for some small-minded person to belittle a very valid and important issue. That’s right afridge13: CEO’s don’t care about you or me, just how much green is showing in their wallet. Look at pharmeceutical companies and banks. They’ve been robbing people blind for years with their corrupt ways, and are ISP’s any different? Not at all. They are asking people to trust them, but there’s nothing to hold them to their words.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Your really naive!
Your really naive!
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
OMG. The “CEO’s” of …
OMG. The “CEO’s” of the big bad corporations are going to build their models based on, oh no, “DISCRIMINATION”!!!! Agghhhhhh, this can’t be happening!!! THE CORPORATIONS WILL CONTROL US!!!
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
If net neutrality …
If net neutrality exists now and there fighting to maintain it as it was weaved into the foundation of the internets creation then WHY DO I GET ((THIS VIDIO IS NOT AVALABLE IN YOUR CONTRY))) on you tube And 404 error randomly ???
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Like ted stevens …
Like ted stevens said: The internet is not a big truck!
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
The truck on a road …
The truck on a road analogy is utterly stupid. Companies like google are not TRUCKS which go from point a to point b. And the internet is a push-pull medium, not just user pull and provider push like TV. None of us are fooled, fools.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
We have more to …
We have more to fear from government regulation.
I am using a satellite internet service right now. It requires no telephone interface, just a two way satellite dish that cost me 300 bucks. The ISP monopoly that is implied here does not exist.
We do not need the ultimate monopoly of government to protect us from a pretend oligarchy.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Ron Paul opposes …
Ron Paul opposes net neutrality.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
ok… wrong. Thanks …
ok… wrong. Thanks for perpetuating the same old false dichotomy.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
so wahts your …
so wahts your position on that? should…we give up our freedoms to increase things by a few kbs?
ok…right
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
No it’s not fast …
No it’s not fast enough. There are countries that have 10MBs as the norm. Our is as outdated as the 25kbs piece of broadband they have in Mexico compared to the rest of the developed world.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Isn’t the internet …
Isn’t the internet fast enough? I can get streaming high quality video? Why would we need something faster?
-X
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Well, they wouldn’t …
Well, they wouldn’t be able to sort of “block” the content of your website but surely, they can manipulate their “fast” lane to the advantage of big players who literally paying more for better connection which in turn would result in competitions to be unfairly undermind. So at the end, you wouldn’t be able to get your “idea” out to create the next Google for example.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Yes, the RON PAUL …
Yes, the RON PAUL REVOLUTION!
Do vote for RON PAUL in the PRIMARIES (very important to do this — TO VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES — this coming January).
Dr. Paul definitely wants to keep (us and) the internet TOTALLY free…
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Time for Internet 2 …
Time for Internet 2! And they can stay the **** out of that!!!
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Since we americans …
Since we americans are apparantly incapable of voting for politicians who are not corrupt, the sooner we all accept Bush as our own personal savior and allow him into our phone calls and internet, the sooner Jesus will come.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Coming soon: …
Coming soon: BRANDED INTERNET. For example, though “AT&T” or “Comcast” may have a network in your neighborhood, soon you will enjoy choice of branded internet from a different company through their network…just like IPTV. The biggest obstacle is getting our local networks built BIG enough to deal with the bandwidth. It needs to happen FAST. Big questions…How to get it done?…Who PAYS to build it? If Gov’t gets involved = FEES FOR ALL (on internet bill)…constant bickering…slow build.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Once we let …
Once we let corporations into the internet in the form of advertising, we allowed them to change the internet from the wonderful exchange of information place into the practical exchange of commerce space. We cannot go back, the corporations will never allow it. Our gov’t looks toward balancing corporate gain with public interest; but in reality always seems to bow to the former, for eventually (they hope) the public will benefit. In the internet arena the battle was lost long ago.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
PBS is brilliant at …
PBS is brilliant at explaining things. I’m going to make my dad watch this report so he understands why I fully support Net Neutrality.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
If its just a …
If its just a faster connection for the biggest companies, I can’t see what harm it could cause. It would just mean that they cannot go any further than that, they cannot have any control over the information on the internet.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
Thank you …
Thank you stephenjudge.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:13 am
this is a true …
this is a true thing that happens! its not a chain letter! its kinda scary at first but it really works!! paste this message into 3 comments and press ALT F4 and your crushes name will appear on the screen!!! its soo wierd!