The End of the WWW as we know it

Google: Don't Be Evil from MoveOn.org Official Channel on Vimeo.

Google and Verizon just announced a proposal that could literally kill the Internet as we know it. Their plan? To create two separate, unequal sections of the Internet—one for big business that would be high-speed and exclusive, and then the inferior, slow "public Internet" that would be available to you and me.

As Josh Silver wrote on Huffington Post:

For years, Internet advocates have warned of the doomsday scenario that will play out on Monday: Google and Verizon will announce a deal that the New York Times reports "could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege."

The deal marks the beginning of the end of the Internet as you know it. Since its beginnings, the Net was a level playing field that allowed all content to move at the same speed, whether it's ABC News or your uncle's video blog. That's all about to change, and the result couldn't be more bleak for the future of the Internet, for television, radio and independent voices.

How did this happen? We have a Federal Communications Commission that has been denied authority by the courts to police the activities of Internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast. All because of a bad decision by the Bush-era FCC. We have a pro-industry FCC Chairman who is terrified of making a decision, conducting back room dealmaking, and willing to sit on his hands rather than reassert his agency's authority. We have a president who promised to "take a back seat to no one on Net Neutrality" yet remains silent. We have a congress that is nearly completely captured by industry. Yes, more than half of the US congress will do pretty much whatever the phone and cable companies ask them to. Add the clout of Google, and you have near-complete control of Capitol Hill.

www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-silver/google-verizon-deal-the-e_b_671617.html

The FCC being a bureaucratic federal agency under the executive branch, is this another example of a failure of our government or at least corporate control of it?

You can sign an on-line petition stating: "Google: Say no to the reported agreement with Verizon to kill Net Neutrality and the open Internet." at //pol.moveon.org/google/index.html