For a democracy to thrive, it requires free and unfettered communication. After all, the essence of a democracy is negotiation. The Internet has become humanities most powerful communication tool and a proposed deal from Google and Verizon threatens the very foundation of what makes it great.
This deal from Google and Verizon would eliminate the “level playing field” that has been the democratic framework of the Internet since it’s inception. In it’s place will be a “cable tv” subscription model, where consumers pay for tiers of Internet service that only include access to websites who have paid to be included. Those who do not pay are excluded or have throttled access to their content.
The proposed Internet payment plan is collusive blackmail as a business model.
This change to the foundation of the Internet is why there has been such outrage across the globe, including protesters at the Google headquarters. The Huffington Post calls the proposal, “The End of The Internet as We Know It”. The PC World states, “If Verizon and Google Win, We Lose”. The Guardian in the UK reports “Google and Verizon ‘near deal to end net neutrality’”. The Telegraph, also in the UK states, “Google accused of betraying internet golden rule in net neutrality row”.
It Gets Worse
“It gets worse” states The Huffington Post. “The proposal is one massive loophole that sets the stage for the corporate takeover of the Internet.” In “Google and Verizon unveil private net neutrality deal” Ats Technica goes on to say:
Then there’s this nugget: the plan would only apply to wired networks. Wireless network operators can discriminate and prioritize to their heart’s content.
“Because of the unique technical and operational characteristics of wireless networks, and the competitive and still-developing nature of wireless broadband services, only the transparency principle would apply to wireless broadband at this time,” says the agreement.
AT&T is in favor of the proposal.
“We remain committed to achieving a consensus solution to the Net neutrality issue, either with the FCC or with the Congress,” Claudia Jones, AT&T vice president of public affairs and media relations, said in a statement. “In that sense, the Verizon-Google agreement demonstrates that it is possible to bridge differences on this issue.” cnet news reports.
This all comes after revelations that Verizon and AT&T are duopolies and Google was caught harvesting personal wireless network information (they said it was a mistake). Recently Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer stated that Gmail (Google’s free email program) scans (reads) each and every email you send and receive. IT.Grunts reports in “Google Will Soon Own You!” that CEO Eric Schmidt said:
“most people would like Google to tell them what they should be doing” when asked how people would reach to the whole idea that Google intends to simply take over peoples lives. He also said that as of today Google “roughly” knows who you are, where you are with a list of your friends and what you like and dislike. When asked if this is similar to an artificial intelligence system, he said that Google will be the world leader in AI systems with more information to process and understand and be able to predict what ones’ choices are.
In a cool and collected, Gestapo-esk fashion CEO Eric Schmidt also told CNBC that your privacy (keeping your data private and not selling or sharing it) is no longer a part of their business model. He stated that “If you have something that you don’t want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place”.
Don’t Be Evil
With a mantra of “Don’t be evil”, Google appears to have gained enough power to finally reveal their true colors. In The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson proposes one meta rule: “In a climate of moral relativism, the only sin is hypocrisy.”
There are supporters of Net Neutrality within the related industries, rights groups and the government who are vowing to stop such measures. Cnet reports:
“They are promising Net Neutrality only for a certain part of the Internet, one that they’ll likely stop investing in,” the SavetheInternet.com Coalition, a group that consists of several advocacy groups including MoveOn.OrgCivic Action, Credo Action, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, ColorofChange.org, and Free Press said in its statement.
Joel Kelsey, a political adviser for Free Press, said the proposal would lead to “outright blocking of applications and content on increasingly popular wireless platforms.”
Net neutrality supporters in Congress are also concerned about wireless being left out of the proposal.
“Today’s proposal leaves out essential elements that should be a part of FCC action to ensure a free and open Internet,” Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement. “The proposal does not apply its prohibition against blocking or slowing Internet traffic to wireless broadband services, for example, and it doesn’t mention the need to ensure consumers’ privacy online, a glaring omission as examples abound of companies tracking and targeting users’ every click. “
Let’s hope we can continue to hold back the insidious threat this deal represents.
