[Mb-civic] Fw: Internet freedom is under attack

[Michael Harris]

NINA AND MICHAEL - I'm sure you're aware of this but if not please spread it far and wide!

LOVE

WMH


-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: "Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org Civic Action" <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>
>Sent: May 1, 2006 3:37 PM
>To: Michael Harris <wmichaelharris at earthlink.net>
>Subject: Internet freedom is under attack
>
>Dear MoveOn member,
>
>Big Internet operators like AT&T and Verizon want the power to decide
>which Web sites open properly on our computers--giving them control over
>what we do and where we search online. So far, Congress has caved to their
>demands.
>
>But because of intense public pressure, some members of Congress are
>starting to switch from AT&T's side to ours! In just a week, Congress saw
>over 250,000 of us sign a petition demanding the Internet stay
>free. Joining this call are tech pioneers like Google and Microsoft,
>diverse groups ranging from MoveOn to Gun Owners of America, and even some
>celebrities.
>
>If enough of us stand up now, there's still time for the House of
>Representatives to do the right thing next week when it votes on whether
>to protect or destroy Network Neutrality--the Internet's First Amendment
>and the key to Internet freedom.
>
>Can you join our petition asking Congress to protect the free and
>open Internet?
>
>http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/?id=7450-2411173-eDjS1tt4SBeF3kUeGI7jcA&t=2
>
>This petition will be delivered to your members of Congress, and everyone
>who signs will be kept informed of the next steps we can take to keep the
>pressure on Congress this week.
>
>Companies like AT&T are spending millions lobbying Congress to gut Net
>Neutrality. A House committee voted to go along with AT&T's scheme last
>week, but we are fighting back hard before next week's full House vote. We
>want to raise public awareness of this issue and hand Congress 350,000
>signatures.
>
>To reach this goal, we're launching a contest: Ask your friends to sign
>the petition and you can win one of 10 iPod Nanos or one of 40
>BarnesandNoble.com gift certificates. Start by signing the petition
>yourself, and you'll receive instructions to enter the contest.
>
>Snopes.com, which monitors various causes that circulate on the Internet,
>recently explained this issue:
>
>  Simply put, network neutrality means that no web site's traffic has
>  precedence over any other's...Whether a user searches for recipes using
>  Google, reads an article on snopes.com, or looks at a friend's MySpace
>  profile, all of that data is treated equally and delivered from the
>  originating web site to the user's web browser with the same priority.
>  In recent months, however, some of the telephone and cable companies
>  that control the telecommunications networks over which Internet data
>  flows have floated the idea of creating the electronic equivalent of a
>  paid carpool lane.
>
>If companies like AT&T have their way, Web sites ranging from Google
>to eBay to MoveOn either pay the equivalent of protection money to get
>into the "fast lane" or risk opening slowly on your computer. We can't
>allow the Internet--this incredible medium which has been such a
>revolutionary force for democratic participation, economic innovation, and
>free speech--to become captive to large corporations.
>
>Join our petition asking Congress to protect Internet freedom by clicking
>here:
>
>http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/?id=7450-2411173-eDjS1tt4SBeF3kUeGI7jcA&t=3
>
>Thank you for all you do.
>
>--Eli Pariser, Noah T. Winer, and Adam Green
>  Monday, May 1st, 2006
>
>P.S. You can support this member-driven campaign today.  As companies like
>AT&T spend millions lobbying Congress to gut Internet freedom, we will win
>this fight because of the power of regular people. A donation of $10, $20,
>or more would go a long way. You can donate here:
>https://civic.moveon.org/donatec4/creditcard.html?id=7450-2411173-eDjS1tt4SBeF3kUeGI7jcA&t=4
>
>P.P.S.  If Congress abandons Network Neutrality, who will be affected?
>
>  * Advocacy groups like MoveOn--Political organizing could be slowed by a
>    handful of dominant Internet providers who ask advocacy groups to pay
>    "protection money" for their websites and online features to work
>    correctly.
>  * Nonprofits--A charity's website could open at snail-speed, and online
>    contributions could grind to a halt, if nonprofits can't pay dominant
>    Internet providers for access to "the fast lane" of Internet service.
>  * Google users--Another search engine could pay dominant Internet
>    providers like AT&T to guarantee the competing search engine opens
>    faster than Google on your computer.
>    Innovators with the "next big idea"--Startups and entrepreneurs will
>    be muscled out of the marketplace by big corporations that pay
>    Internet providers for dominant placing on the Web. The little guy
>    will be left in the "slow lane" with inferior Internet service, unable
>    to compete.
>  * iPod listeners--A company like Comcast could slow access to iTunes,
>    steering you to a higher-priced music service that it owned.
>  * Online purchasers--Companies could pay Internet providers to guarantee
>    their online sales process faster than competitors--if
>    BarnesandNoble.com was much slower than Amazon.com that would distort
>    your choice as a consumer.
>  * Small businesses and tele-commuters--When Internet companies like AT&T
>    favor their own services, you won't be able to choose more affordable
>    providers for online video, teleconferencing, Internet phone calls,
>    and software that connects your home computer to your office.
>  * Parents and retirees--Your choices as a consumer could be controlled
>    by your Internet provider, steering you to their preferred services
>    for online banking, health care information, sending photos, planning
>    vacations, etc.
>  * Bloggers--Costs will skyrocket to post and share video and audio
>    clips--silencing citizen journalists and putting more power in the
>    hands of a few corporate-owned media outlets.
>
>
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