Help protect the internet, less than 48 hours to say something.

[Krynn72]

Check your Email box.
Bill passed.
We lost.

It doesnt say that.

This week, a federal court decided to end the era of the open Internet in America.

Broadband companies can now block you from visiting certain sites, stop you from using great Web applications like Skype, and force independent media makers to pay added tolls or risk not having their content delivered.

They can thumb their noses at Obama's plan to connect tens of millions of Americans on the wrong side of the digital divide.

This decision takes control of the Internet away from its users and hands it to companies like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon. It's that bad.

Donate $10 for Our Plan to Take Back the Internet

Free Press has a plan to return the Internet to the people who use it every day -- that's you, me and everyone:

* We're asking millions of people to demand that the FCC reassert its watchdog role by simply reclassifying broadband services.
* We're nearing two million letters to Washingtonin support of Net Neutrality, and will deliver them with a clear message that Congress and the FCC can't let this ruling stand.
* We're convening a powerful, bipartisan coalition of consumer rights groups, public advocates, civil rights leaders, free speech advocates and others to tell Congress to stand behind the FCC's authority to protect our rights.
* We're working to salvage the best aspects of the National Broadband Plan and make universal access a priority for a country that has fallen behind the rest of the world in every international measure of Internet success.

We can't take these urgent actions without your support, which is why I'm asking you to give $10, or as much as you can to save the Internet. A contribution of any amount will go a long way.

Tuesday's court decision hands over control of our communications to corporations that simply can't be trusted to act on our behalf.

Restore the Internet to Its Rightful Owners: You, Me and Everyone

There’s a way out of this legal mess. But to get there, we need to take on the powerful phone and cable lobby.

 

[ktimekiller]

Dont need my already overpriced and slow as **** U.S. POS ISP to put restrictions with their amazing turtle speed service.

 

[YROC]

inb4 e-riots

 

[Warped]

I'd actually love to see some hackers E-bomb the FCC websites and communication networks.

 

[Remus]

I'd actually love to see some hackers E-bomb the FCC websites and communication networks.

Wait, aren't the FCC supposed to be the "good guys" in all this?

 

[Darkside55]

They are. Warped is with the ISPs! HE'S AN ENEMY SPY!

 

[the cow says moo]

"Alert! The enemy has taken our internet."

 

[Kisze]

Can't people switch ISP to one that doesn't force you to pay like that?

 

[Danimal]

^

Are there such alternatives in the world of cable television?

 

[Acepilotf14]

Can't people switch ISP to one that doesn't force you to pay like that?

Yes, until they all make you pay like that.

 

[Escaep]

Can't people switch ISP to one that doesn't force you to pay like that?

If you have the option to. But most people in rural/suburban areas only have one option for an ISP. Such as myself, here I only have the option for Bellsouth. If they pull something like this, I have no other option, seeing as I live in a relatively rural area.

 

[Remus]

This kind of bullshit might work In the US of A, but in Romania and other poor countries if they try this with the local ISPs they will notice an abrupt drop in clients. I mean our ISPs are curently bending over backwards to get more people to connect to the Internet, by making it very cheap (10Mb/s at $9/month), so even if this becomes a reality, it's extremely unlikely it will apply globaly as most of you seem to think.

 

[Krynn72]

God damn it Remus, thats not what we're talking about.

What will happen to niche sites like good ol' www.halflife2.net when almost all of its American visitors stop coming? It goes away, thats what happens.

 

[Naph]

Does it end up being cheaper?

 

[Raziaar]

Can't people switch ISP to one that doesn't force you to pay like that?

For the mini ISPs... like the one i had here in dallas one time called August... you have to pay them, and you have to pay the main ISP(like here it's verizon). The mini ISP's have to like... pay to use the big phone company/ISPs wires... or something like that.

It was like that here anyway. August had awesome customer service and were incredibly knowledgable... but kind of expensive and had to pay both them and Verizon.

I wonder if it is like that other places.

 

[Remus]

What will happen to niche sites like good ol' www.halflife2.net when almost all of its American visitors stop coming? It goes away, thats what happens.

I'll still be here.

Spoiler

 

[L3N!N]

Ugh, this is such utter bullshit. Hopefully Verizon FiOS doesn't do anything...although they probably will. At least, if it does take effect, I won't be spending so much time on the computer.

 

[The Monkey]

I still don't understand why people can't just switch to a new ISP if their old one is bugging them.

 

[VirusType2]

Here in America, you can have 3 gas stations within sight of each other, and they all charge exactly the same for gas, +/- $00.02. Something that might translate to how ISPs charge for internet service.

Not only that, but most Americans have only 1 or 2 ISPs to choose from. These 2 companies control 90% of the market for the entire country. They have so much money and power, that any would be competitors don't have a chance in hell. Personally, I've got only one option.

 

[The Monkey]

Here in America, you can have 3 gas stations within sight of each other, and they all charge exactly the same for gas, +/- $00.02. Something that might translate to how ISPs charge for internet service.

Not only that, but most Americans have only 1 or 2 ISPs to choose from. These 2 companies control 90% of the market for the entire country. They have so much money and power, that any would be competitors don't have a chance in hell. Personally, I've got only one option.

How is that possible? If an ISP makes a thing out of not restricting anything and not take out any wierd fees, wouldn't that company attract a massive amounts of customers?

 

[Remus]

They have so much money and power, that any would be competitors don't have a chance in hell. Personally, I've got only one option.

However if new ISPs appear that offer unrestricted/uncensored internet access, they will have all the chances in the world, customers choosing them instead of "the big guys".

 

[VirusType2]

Like I was saying with the gas stations though. The new guy without the brand recognition and advertising would have no choice to charge less to even compete. But they aren't financially in a position to charge very much less. As an upstart company with no infrastructure (wires to houses), they'd have major expenses. Hell, they'd be content to be a bit cheaper because they also want to get as much profit as possible.

It just doesn't go from $50 a month to $10. It would go to $45, in this hypothetical scenario that I imagined.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

And...FCC your turn

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100506/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_internet_rules

 

[Krynn72]

"Using this heavy-handed approach to regulation ... will jeopardize private investment and innovation in broadband and inject regulatory uncertainty throughout the entire Internet," Sen. John Ensign of Nevada

Ha... haha....hahhahahaha

Oh Mr. Ensign of Nevada, your words are so fluffy and meaningless. What does "regulatory uncertainty" even mean? How would innovation be jeopardized moreso than if they were allowed their monopolies?