Skip to content

So Long Internet, and Thanks For All the Cats

Le sad.
Goodbye, ole pal.

Last week we saw the beginning of the end of what we in the business refer to as “the Internet.” In another example of the oligarchic tendencies our country has been displaying as of late, the FCC has succomed to corporate lobbyists, whose interests of protecting profit take precedence over open, equal global communication amongst Earthlings.

In other words, consumer advocate groups are losing out to the big telecoms in the struggle to keep the Internet open and unregulated.

This has nothing to do with a perceived bandwidth issue. It’s not about piracy or some fake necessity for regulation. There isn’t any congestion going on. There’s no actual reason for this change to take place. The only reason that this is happening is because Internet Service Providers want to make more money.

What does this mean to you, the average Gmail-loving, Facebook-posting, Netflix-watching-Instagrammer? As I’ve written before, you will likely start paying for a tiered Internet, much like the cable TV packages you get now. The popular, “premium” websites will cost you more (Facebook? Netflix? Twitter?), similar to how you pay more for HBO, Showtime, and other premium TV channels.

What can you do? Not a lot, unless you are leaking money from your ears. Still, you can try and spread the word and support causes like the EFF.

Photo by GraciolliDotcom

Published inInternet

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *