Someone on twitter the other day was really coming down hard on President-elect Barack Obama about his change of stance regarding the subject of net neutrality.
Before I address this issue fully, let’s take a step back and find out exactly what net neutrality truly is.
According to Google’s Guide to Net Neutrality page:
Network neutrality is the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. The Internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days. Indeed, it is this neutrality that has allowed many companies, including Google, to launch, grow, and innovate. Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online. Today, the neutrality of the Internet is at stake as the broadband carriers want Congress’s permission to determine what content gets to you first and fastest. Put simply, this would fundamentally alter the openness of the Internet.
(source: http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html)
As you can see, these are some serious issues. It really borders the free speech, first amendment rights in the U.S. and corporate control of content.
In the recent election, it became very evident which networks were pro Republican, pro Democrat, and the minority of Independent networks. But, even with their pro Republican or pro Democratic slant, we all have the option to turn off the station or the television. We still have the right to choose.
You also may have heard the recent news that Comcast was told by the FCC that they could not block users from torrent networks and downloads. Comcast’s solution was to cap bandwidth, albeit a generous one. But this kind of behavior undermines the net neutrality fundamentals by restricting access.
There’s also the counter argument that you need to monitor Internet access to protect people. Many in the Internet community consider this a lame attempt at control.
We’ve been teaching online users how to protect themselves for many years, and still feel that education is the greatest protection against Internet threats including identity theft, malware, and security breaches. So we do not condone, nor support any attempt to control the content or access to the Internet.
That being said, let’s get back to the Obama Administration and their stance on this issue.
The person that was ranting on Twitter about the Obama position referred me to an article dated September 23, 2008 where they cited the removal of an entire section on net neutrality from the Obama postion statement. (See: http://lirneasia.net/2008/09/barack-obama-gives-up-his-plans-for-%E2%80%98net-neutrality%E2%80%99/)
However, comments from other readers - and I have seen it - state that the entire paragraph is still contained in the downloadable Fact Sheet PDF available here: http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/technology/Fact_Sheet_Innovation_and_Technology.pdf
Further, the brief statements made on the new website does not read like President-elect Obama will be against net neutrality. In fact, I think his revolutionary use of technology with the campaign and his upcoming Administration shows just the opposite!
Why would a President wanting to promote transparency in government and publish a website like change.gov only to restrict our freedom and rights? It just doesn’t hold water with me.
I’m not one to drink the koolaid of any particular conspiracy theory or belief system. I research and try to determine the facts and right now, the way I’m seeing it, the facts aren’t adding up to Obama being against net neutrality.
Further, if you read the entire Google page referenced above and read the Open Letter from Google’s CEO, Eric Schmidt, he is clearly for net neutrality.
Add to that the fact that Schmidt is part of Obama’s transition economic advisory board, I don’t understand how this could be translated into Obama being against net neutrality.
Only time will tell, but right now, I can’t be convinced that President-elect Barack Obama is a wolf in sheeps clothing on this subject. The proof just doesn’t add up.
One of my favorite television shows used to be the X Files and Mulder always would always say, “The truth is out there.” Many people want to believe - for whatever reason - that every thing is a huge conspiracy. Maybe I’m delusional in giving the benefit of the doubt. Maybe I’m totally wrong and Schmidt and our future president are really aliens who came here from UFO’s. I mean it is possible. I don’t dismiss anything really.
But I am a very rational person. Facts have to add up. And on this subject, they add up to the fact that our future president supports net neutrality. And I don’t believe in “poo-pooing” Eric Schmidt’s involvement with the transition. If I wanted to build an open, neutral, transparent government online, I’d certainly want Schmidt in my corner!
What do you think he’s going to do? I mean really? Maybe he’ll sell your saved web search data to the FBI or CIA? Okay, maybe that is possible! But hey, you’ve been warned buddy. I’ve tried to tell you over and over again about big brother. So if the Feds end up with your data, you can’t say I didn’t warn you! You gave it to them freely. You have no one to blame but yourself.
And yes, I include myself in that because I’m a heavy user of Google for searches, webmaster tools, gmail, and the like. I will not download their software or share any of my documents with them online, but I do use a lot of their other services. So, I’m up the creek with you.
Roald Dahl’s, Tales of the Unexpected (SYN/1979-81) would begin with a narration that said,
“A wise man believes only in lies, trusts only in the absurd, and learns to expect the unexpected.”
I’ve held onto that belief since I was a young adult watching that series. (And a special thanks to http://www.tvacres.com/begin_occult_MZ.htm for publishing that quote! I’ve been looking for the exact quote for years!)
What would surprise me in the new Administration is if our new president would finally tell us the truth about whether or not we have proof of alien visits! Now that’s what I’d call an open, transparent government! And I may find my real father since my mother said I was the product from outer space! (Yes, she really said that!)
So, go visit change.gov and see the statement on net neutrality and decide for yourself.
If you gain anything from our new President, let it be the tools to think for yourself! Now there’s a concept for America!
http://change.gov/agenda/technology/
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