Why Is Internet Different?

Net Neutrality. Save the Internet. The Death of the Internet?
In past few years those questions have been everywhere around the Web. Journalists, bloggers and citizens are concerned about the Net neutrality and the equal access to every web-site. The issue became so discussed and significant for the society that even Mr. President mentioned it in his “Promises to Americans.” (You can read about it more on Timothy Karr’s blog http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/everyone-gets-a-bonus-fro_b_178286.html.) And it doesn’t seem so unrealistic anymore as it did even few years ago. After Verizon Wireless denied a request from an abortion rights group to use its mobile network for a text-messaging campaign and AT&T presented its idea about dividing the Internet on fast and slow, where big communication giants could pay for the faster one, the control over the Internet is more possible than ever before. And it is understandable and “natural’ in the country, where the whole broadcast media is totally controlled by few media conglomerates, who decide what to show, when and how. Imagine how powerless they feel about the Internet, where people can find any information they want mostly for free, with no special revenue for those Media Giants. Of course, those companies are trying to find the way to change the situation and seem fair at the same time. But it wouldn’t be so dangerous without the support of the Government. I mean, think about the United States. One of the most technologically developed countries in the world with a strong economy (even now if you compare to other countries)is only number fifteen in broadband infrastructure (http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20080423) and almost half of all citizens in the country still don’t have a 24/7 Internet access in their homes. Why is that happening? The answer is simple. Big Media Conglomerates don’t allow the Government to pass the law and provide the country with free Internet as a part of social needs (along with free education) because in this case they lose not only a lot of money, but what is even more significant an ability to control the flow of information. And if you could just imagine the amount of money and power those companies have you would understand that they will definitely prevent the free and equal Internet from happening. For example, WiMax – a wireless digital communications system that is able to provide Internet coverage for up to 30 miles (WiMax.com.) This new technology is widely spread in Europe and Japan because it costs less and gives an opportunity to more people access the Web. It is common in many developed countries…except the United States. The reason is obvious and it is Media Conglomerates. With the potential of WiMax that is going to be able to cover whole cities or even countries, Internet providers will lose the revenue from internet and will not be able to control anything inside the Web.
That’s why people started to defend Internet now, before it’s too late. More and more blogs and videos appear on internet about the Net Neutrality. A web-site called Save The Internet (savetheinternet.com) provides different kinds of information, including laws and political decisions on the issues related to the Net Neutrality. Donations and other kinds of participation are available on the site and more and more people join it every day. Because this problem is not about me or you. It is about us and everyone. We saw this happening to the Radio, TV and newspapers and we can’t ignore the fact that it is going to happen to the Internet as well. Everyday we can not only hear other voices from all over the world, but also be heard. There is nothing more important in journalism than an opportunity to be heard and to have an access to information. That’s why it is so important to defend the Net Neutrality, to show the Government that we are responsible and active citizens, who will not be silent anymore. The time of silence has ended. Now it’s time to act and defend our freedom. It’s time to defend the Internet or we might lose the last media sector that is still free of censorship and control.