Act Now to Stop “Internet Tax”
Posted on May 12, 2006 by oregoncub
Tags, Legislative & Political, Telecommunications and CUB Connects
Many of our traditional means of research and entertainment are being replaced by content provided on the World Wide Web. Though only a few decades old, the web has become deeply enmeshed in many aspects of our lives. And we have become accustomed to a level of equal access to the web. For example, when we consume content from the web, we expect that the material we’re viewing or hearing will be provided to us at the same speed, no matter what the website, with the only limitation being the speed of our connection. Likewise, when we post information on the web, we expect that information to be equally available to anyone with an Internet connection, limited only by our ability to attract web surfers to our site.
However, legislation is quickly moving through Congress that would undermine the principle of equal access to online information. Recent committee votes have dealt a serious blow to the basic principle that for the last ten years has fueled the explosive growth of the Internet and powered economic and social innovation. That basic principle is known as Network Neutrality, a concept that guarantees that consumers of Internet services can select any Internet service provider (ISP), access any lawful content, and transmit any lawful information they choose by posting it to a website.
Today’s Internet has flourished because government policy has prohibited telephone companies, who controlled the flow of information over their Internet dial-up connections, from interfering with services consumers were trying to reach. Now, telephone and cable companies want to bury this policy in a time capsule and abandon it for their high-speed networks. These powerful interests want to charge creators of websites and Internet services for the right to use the broadband network to deliver content, such as video and telephone service. Think of it as an “Internet Tax.” Those who agree to pay up will pass the charges on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Those who can’t pay the “tax” will see their websites or services downloaded more slowly and, therefore, get less browser traffic.
In this “pay for access” environment, it is unlikely that the next Google, Amazon.com or ebay would ever be able to get off the ground. Even more frightening, websites run by public interest organizations like CUB or a local social service agency will be at a disadvantage because they will be unable to afford to pay the “Internet Tax” to provide basic information at an acceptable delivery speed (or offer new services, such as video programming, that are still in their early stages). In short, consumers will have fewer choices.
But potential innovators and consumers of their services don’t only have higher access fees to be concerned about. Because of Congress’s failure to protect the Internet, the cable and telephone companies have every incentive to give preferential treatment to their own high-end services and slow down or block access to others.
The phone and cable companies already charge consumers who choose different Internet service speeds different prices; but once the consumer pays for the connection, s/he should be able to access any content without interference by the operator of the system over which the content travels. Network operators, the telephone and cable companies, should not be able to interfere based on your ability to pay a premium. Consumers—not network operators—should determine which Internet services will succeed.
There is a solution to this problem. Congress must restore rules that will ensure Network Neutrality so that we preserve the openness and vitality of the Internet that has transformed our economy and culture over the past few decades. The big telecommunications companies are pushing hard and the legislation is moving quickly. (We only wish consumer protection legislation moved so rapidly through the process!)
The time has come to push back. Don’t let the telephone and cable companies destroy Net Neutrality, the quality that makes the Internet such a great resource. Contact your Congressperson and U.S. Senators and tell them to preserve “Net Neutrality.” The Internet should remain a great resource for everyone.
To keep up with CUB, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
03/10/17 | 0 Comments | Act Now to Stop “Internet Tax”