Tallon - 2:16 am on Aug 11, 2010 (gmt 0)

Did you just call me a sheep Tallon? lol.

I didn't, really! It was my way (poorly done obviously) of expressing how we're being corralled (by both sides of the issue). I'm pretty much on the same page as you are, I think. I'm also pretty aware that I have to question everything, from both sides of this, because the propaganda is thick and murky all around this issue.

Narratives promoted so far:

---Net neutrality must be in place to save the people from the evil, greedy corporations so the little guy webmaster and innovators can prevail! And to ensure we'll all have equal access to whatever we want on the internet using whatever tool of choice (including that little guy's website).

Some pretty heavy players in politics and business are very hungry to see this implemented...most (all?) of which I wouldn't trust with a nickel never mind something as important as a free internet.

The other narrative:

---Net neutrality must not ever happen because the FCC/U.S. government will have their fingers all over content management (like they currently do with tv/movie/radio media)...which could/will eventually mean censorship over content, content access (will local government be able to force ISPs to block access to gambling sites (for example) if gambling is illegal in that state) and maybe some weird stunts like the Fairness Doctrine. Stuff like that.

So:

Net neutrality = gov't control
No net neutrality = big evil business control

Those are the only two options (apparently)

What the problem really is: Neither government nor business has control over the internet as it is today and how it's evolving and what its users are creating and how they're using it (because the user is currently in charge). Net neutrality is the strawman being used to manipulate the situation into something more controlled/manageable for the powers that be (because otherwise the market would simply function as all other markets do--the consumer pays for what he consumes based on his amount of consumption--pretty simple and drama free and the net continues untouched by gov't control or big business manipulations).

Net neutrality vs. no net neutrality--IMO neither is a win for the average citizen.

Sigh. It would be so much easier on me if they used more hollywood A-list actors to push for net neutrality instead of the C- & D-list, maybe I'd fall in step easier ;).

Tinfoil hat or not, I really do think we're teetering over a point of no return, but it's not too late (just yet). I think that's why Google's made this move, to drop kick us all over the edge in a wild panic.