Can the Internet ever be truly free?

[Pat Coyle]

Can the Internet ever be truly free?

Here we go again with the same question we've been asking since Obama's election:

Should we have more laws and government intervention? Or less?
This seems to be the central question around the concept of "Net Neutrality."

Proponents say that the FCC should be able to enforce regulations that keep Internet Service Providers from creating tiered levels of service and charging consumers extra for access to certain Websites or Web applications by creating artificial scarcity. Read Google's Public Policy Blog. Also read Save the Internet

Opponents of net neutrality characterize its regulations as "a solution in search of a problem", arguing that broadband service providers have no plans to block content or degrade network performance. Father of Internet against it

McCain against it. Obama is for it

Google wants it. AT&T does not.

This creates an interesting questions for business owners

If you were a company like AT&T, and you had invested billions to provide the infrastructure for Internet traffic, wouldn't you expect to be able to charge for providing the service?

If you are Google, and you've built your model around a "free" pricing model (and you're making gazillions riding on the backs of the network providers), wouldn't you want the Government to protect your "free"dom?

Who has a bigger right to make money? Google? Or AT&T?

Can the Internet ever be truly free? Share your thoughts here

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[Cissi Sherlock]

I remember hearing that they wanted to seperate US internet from foreign internet in a effot to limit access and that the URL's would have to be changed so as accomplish this. And, we would not have access to most foreign sites even if we used newly designated URL's.

That is what I was referring to.

I see the capitalist aspect being referred to here.

And Marita, I agree, where would we be if our access to a truly world entity such as the internet were limited. I guess they'll have to take us both away in handcuffs!

[Marita Topmiller]

Hey Cissi, I've got an old cell phone for you. Are you still taking them for charity?
If so, let me know and I'll get it to you.

[Cissi Sherlock]

Yes! Yes! Yes! Call me at 317-605-8584 or 376-8654