Not The Internet I Signed Up For

If you are reading this, you might be concerned about the attempts by cable and phone companies to change the internet, that you know and love, for the worse.

From http://www.savetheinternet.com/ :

Congress is pushing a law that would abandon the Internet's First Amendment -- a principle called Network Neutrality that prevents companies like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast from deciding which Web sites work best for you -- based on what site pays them the most. Your local library shouldn’t have to outbid Barnes & Noble for the right to have its Web site open quickly on your computer.

Net Neutrality allows everyone to compete on a level playing field and is the reason that the Internet is a force for economic innovation, civic participation and free speech. If the public doesn't speak up now, Congress will cave to a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign by telephone and cable companies that want to decide what you do, where you go, and what you watch online.

This isn’t just speculation -- we've already seen what happens elsewhere when the Internet's gatekeepers get too much control. Last year, Telus -- Canada's version of AT&T -- blocked their Internet customers from visiting a Web site sympathetic to workers with whom the company was having a labor dispute. And Madison River, a North Carolina ISP, blocked its customers from using any competing Internet phone service.

More here.

For some amusement you can also read, former Clinton Press Secretary, Mike McCurry's ridiculous attempt to defend net-non-neutrality. Except for paid lobbyists like McCurry, this movement has broad support from everybody from Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds to Larry Lessig (to the very cool CUWin !).