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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

FCC Gives The Internet To Big Business



The FCC has passed a new internet regulatory plan which in essence censors the net, what we see, how we use it and opens the door for big business to charge more for it's use.
The FCC claims it is a major breakthough for internet oversite, while Congress see it as a major job killer and free speech issue. This upcoming Congression session is sure to be heated as this will the top issue on their agenda when Congress reconvenes on January 5th 2011.
What the new law does is this. It means different rules for people with wired internet and others with wireless or phone access. The phone companies are in control of what you see not you. 
It paves the way for the big intenet providers like Comcast, Verizon, Bright House & many others to charge more for total access to the internet. While the big comapnies like Google & Amazon can surely pay these fees to ensure their sites be on all platforms & search engines, the small business sites, bloggers, and independent based newspapers like Examiner.com are the ones who cant afford to pay those fees thus leaving them behind and possibly killing them off. 
Thus this would create a public and a private internet ending Free Speech on the internet as we know it. It could also lead to the social networks like Facebook & Myspace to go ahead and charge us for complete access without fear of any repercussions by anyone because the FCC allows it. 
It can also be bad for the education system (which is already cash strapped), students on all levels including college to have to dish out morew money to get complete access. Thus making the education system even worse than it already is because now their students and teachers dont have the access they need and deserve due to bugetary issues.
Picture this, your child comes home and has to do a report on current events and need to reference where they got the information. Well that would be fine if you had a newspaper but lets face it not many people get the newspaper anymore they use the internet to read the news. Well your child needs to access the local paper online or even the New York Times online but in order to read the content you now have to pay a fee to that site even if you are only going to use it once. 
Are you going to be happy, will your child be happy, NO !!! But that is what this new law is capable of doing and that is not a good thing. The internet is supposed to a place where the world can come and express itself freely and with hinderance. Yes we dont agree with all the various sites that are available but it is their right to Free Speech and shouldnt be regulated like this.
We should be the ones who are to make the choice if we want to go to that site or not and we do have the abilty to block sites with Parental Controls, that are offered by every internet provider FREE, from our children or even ourselves if we dont ever want to see that kind of content. 
The funny thing about this new law the FCC made is that it was drafted by the big companies, Comcast & AT&T, the companies the FCC is supposed to regulate. It also helps break a campaign promise by President Obama to keep the net neutral & off limits. 
The internet is supposed to free as it sparks innovation, free speech, investments & consumer choice. This new law destroys all of that and allows big business to decide what is best for you, which of course is whjat makes them the most money.
I suggest you all contact you local Congessman or woman, voice your concerns and show them that we are not happy with the new FCC law and we dont approve it or want it. We want the web free for everyone and dont not want our rights trampled on so big business can make a few extra bucks and take away our Free Speech rights.

Reprinted from my news column at examiner.com to see this column and others I have written please click here

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