My husband and I constantly debate Net Neutrality. I am of the opinion that the internet is much larger than anyone anywhere thinks it is. It is an emergent property of our society. It is the nervous system of an evolving social organism. I don't think the telcoms could control it if they tried.
My husband, a counterpoint to my internet evangelism, feels that the internet is in mortal peril.
He fears that the loss of free expression will be a death blow to our democracy. Regulation by the telcoms may well be a slippery slope that leads to censorship. Sites some find distasteful, or blatantly offensive, like rotten.org, are an indicator species for our freedom of speech.
While my husband and I may not agree on the extent of danger to the internet, I do concede that it could be forced underground. It could be hampered while we wait for broad adoption of new technologies that break the telcom's stranglehold. In short, average consumers of information online will begin missing pieces of the puzzle without even knowing it.
In the long term, I have ultimate faith in the power of the internet. However, we can't afford a Dark Age, no matter how brief. It may not impact us personally, as we will flow to whomever offers unfettered access. But, others will be impacted... perhaps just in time for 2008.
Thus, I have signed Maria Cantwell's petition.
http://www.cantwell.com/...