[Chapter-delegates] Protesters in 32 US Cities Take to Streets to Save Internet

[Glenn McKnight]

http://en.ria.ru/society/20141108/195318997/Protesters-in-32-US-Cities-Take-to-Streets-to-Save-Internet.html

MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) - Demonstrations have been held in 32
American cities against plans to radically alter the neutrality of internet
services, and allow providers to offer a so-called “paid priority” service,
in which providers of content can pay ISPs for preferential treatment on
the web.

“We're in the battle for the net,” say protest organizers on their website
battleforthenet.com. “A threat to Internet users' freedom anywhere is a
threat to internet users' freedom everywhere.”

The protests were spurred by leaks of a proposal on internet neutrality
from the Federal Communications Commission. The proposal aims to provide a
compromise between the wishes of those who want to maintain the concept of
neutrality, by which no Internet traffic is unfairly discriminated against,
and those who want to institute a tiered system of provision.

According to research by the Sunlight Foundation, those in favor of tiering
the internet have carried out a determined lobbying campaign, and include
telecoms companies Verizon, AT&T, Comcast and the National Cable and
Telecommunications Association. Those in favor of greater regulation from
the FCC, which will prevent such a tiered structure of provision, include
AOL, Google and Microsoft.

On Wednesday the Guardian reported that the FCC had been deluged with 3.7
mln comments on its proposals about the future of the web. In June its
website crashed due to the volume of comments after US comedian John Oliver
urged viewers of his TV show to write to the organization about what he
termed “cable company fuckery.”

In yesterday’s protests dozens of people were gathered to express their
discontent with the proposals.

The hybrid plan, called “Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet,” seeks
to placate both sides. According to the Washington Post, it proposes
splitting broadband into two services, retail and back-end. The retail
service would see consumers pay broadband providers for Internet access,
while back-end service allows providers to make deals with content
companies, but under the auspices of “common carrier” protections which
allow the FCC to police the deals.

The Post reports that the telecoms industry is also displeased with the
plan, warning of a legal challenge to any prospective block on their
ability to negotiate content-specific deals with their providers.

Glenn McKnight
mcknight.glenn at gmail.com
skype  gmcknight
twitter gmcknight
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