The Internet: Net Neutrality, It's now an official "I told you so!"

Back in 2007 I openly warned people of the consequences that would follow if you allowed the government to tinker with the Internet...some people listened and we were able to put this thing called Net Neutrality in limbo for a couple of years.  Well we the little people lost the battle with the biggies with all the money.  So the likes of Hillary Clinton (she was a senator from New York when she was bribed...yes, that's right, bribed!  $119,250.00 into her pocket! ...further, she gets to keep it now that she is Secretary of State) and John F. Kerry (sorry I forgot how much he made off with, but he did buy a new boat) plus a few others in the halls of congress are rolling in the dough because we little ones can only vote at the ballot box while big business can vote with big bucks. I put out another warning last April (↓see below)  and nobody listened...

Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Internet...oh that Internet beast...will it gobble you up? Net Neutrality will affect both the bloggers and their readers.

So now we all have to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes because big business will make those fortunes from us. ~ Norman E. Hooben

ps: Somewhere in those warnings I said, "Don't let this become an I told you so story." 
Well, it's official, "I told you so!"

Source for the following: Boston Globe
Internet rules give big business control

HIAWATHA BRAY’S article “FCC OK’s Internet service rules’’ (Dec. 22, Business) showed some promise for those in favor of Net neutrality, however, the FCC’s vote to approve new rules governing the Internet fell far short of President Obama’s campaign promise to protect online free speech and commerce. The new rules hand much control to wired and wireless Internet service providers.

As vice president of Full Channel, a small cable operator and Internet service provider in Warren, R.I., the assumption might be that I would favor rules that put control in the hands of the service provider, however on the contrary, I am a proponent of true Net neutrality. The rules place small- and medium-size businesses in all industries, not just small Internet providers, at a disadvantage by giving control to large corporations.

Full Channel is one of more than 900 small cable, Internet, and phone providers. Combined these businesses serve about 7 million households. With small providers giants in control, online start-ups, and anyone who publishes media online are at the mercy of these Goliaths that serve more than 200 million Internet users.

Earlier this month, Comcast ordered servers hosting Netflix videos to pay for access to its Internet subscribers. Under the new rules this will be only the beginning of big cable and telephone’s role as the gatekeepers of information. The Internet is edging closer toward a locked-down oligarchical model and possibly a disastrous future for consumers and businesses alike. It makes good business sense to support a neutral Internet. A network under any other structure will stifle commerce, free speech, and innovation.

Levi C. Maaia Vice president, Full Channel Warren, R.I.

For the record: An earlier editing error changed the meaning of a sentence in a letter by Levi C. Maaia, vice president of Full Channel in Warren, R.I. The sentence should have read, ‘‘With giant Internet providers in control, small providers, online start-ups, and anyone who publishes media online are at the mercy of these Goliaths that serve more than 200 million Internet users.’’

© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.