Internet Freedom and Network Neutrality
Check out this interesting article on msnbc news (it is short):
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24255579/
For those who don’t want to read anything other than what is assigned- here are the main questions that it brought to mind:
Should there be legistaltion to ensure freedom for writers on the internet? Is this just a ploy for certain groups to profit? Who will this benefit?
Just something to think about…
Katie said,
May 2, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for sharing this article. It serves as another piece of evidence speaking to the class system that the Internet seems to be allowing for the establishment of. I think we’re seeing this because this is how humans operate: there are always the haves and the have-nots. In this case, the companies with money are the haves (the ones with the louder Internet voice or the more visible Internet appearance) and the lowly blogger with his/her beginning blog site comprise an example of the have-nots. Who has more voice? And who should be entitled to have more voice?
The article notes that the Internet is an open forum for communication. This does not mean that it is a forum in which everyone has equal say – but then, that’s the way it is in life. The Internet is making visible how humans operate in every enterprise, and well, some of us don’t like it, which is normal. How possible is it to make this situation “equal”? And at what cost – which is the question you pose. If limitations are place on the Internet, how much freedom does ANY writer retain?
The other problem with this open forum is that everyone has a voice – as the article acknowledges that no one is blocked from participating (theoretically). So who gets heard? The louder! Who gets to be louder? Whoever fights to be louder!
Competition abounds. This doesn’t have to be bad, but yes, it certainly doesn’t make it easier for those who have to fight harder. But, as I have stated in my other comment, those who fight harder usually end up stronger.