Should the cable & phone companies have the right to control and block internet content and access?

Question

There is a bill (sponsored by one of Alaska's Republican senators) that will allow major corporations like cable companies and phone companies to block or slow down internet content they don't like -- for example, BellSouth blocking customers from myspace.com this past summer.

Is this a good thing, or should we help the ACLU in their opposition to this?

See more info here:
http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/internet/27159res20061023.html

Answer 1

nothing should be blocked. The internet should be a completely free exchange of ideas and information. Some of it you may like, some of it you may not, but it should be open. No government or private company should police it.

Answer 2

This whole Net Neutrality debate is pretty stupid. Just because Internet providers have talked about doing this it doesn't mean they can actually do it. If you understand how broadband networks work you would see that implementing something like that would be seriously hard. If there was just one company instead of more than one providing internet service we would have a problem but there is more than one. If one decides to do it they will be dropped by most of their describers. The big myth about this going around is that internet is slowing down due to new technology. That is stupid. If it starts to slow down they will find a way to keep it going as it is. They already have new technology prepared for it. It is in the internet providers best interest to do this. I am against the FCC having much of anymore involvement in the internet. The Federal Trade Commission has already said they are going after bloggers for advertising things. What is to stop the FCC from doing the exact same thing that Net Neutrality is suppose to "protect" us from?

Answer 3

If and when selective blocking is discovered by a carrier like Bell South it should be exposed to every person possible. The first reaction should be to cancel their service and get another service provider—that is a very powerful vote. Second, tell all of your friends and acquaintances—get them as excited as you are about it. Third, write your Local, State and Federal representatives and protest. Fourth, vote out the government representatives that don’t support your views.

There is no need to involve the ACLU—they have their own agenda and most of it isn’t good for America.

Answer 4

Of course they shouldn't be allowed to do this and if there is anything you can do to help the ACLU, you should do it. I am sure they would more then appreciate the help. They have allot of work to do lately with this goverment trying to take our rights away everytime we blink.

Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded by patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.

Vote Ray Cook for President

Answer 5

A private company can block anything it wants to. Only government is restricted from doing so.

UPDATE: What part of that deserved a thumbs down? What you idiots fail to understand is that the Bill of RIghts and the civil liberties therein only restrict GOVERNMENT's actions, not those of private industry. It's a fact. If that's too inconvenient for you, then get an education!

Answer 6

Just more bull-hit out of big business ! If we pay our internet bill it is none of there business what sites we go on as long as we arn`t breaking any laws. Why don`t they spend there money on something more moral and worth while like getting the child porn and child molesters off the internet

Answer 7

I don't see anything wrong with it. If you don't like the fact that your ISP blocks or slows down certain content there are always other ISPs to choose from.

My theory is that if the communication giants are allowed to do this, other companies will pop up that allow unrestricted access, eventually forcing the others to do the same or putting them out of business.

Answer 8

Absolutely not. We, as individuals, are quite capable of making that decision for ourselves.

Answer 9

Just because they don't like it doesn't mean it should be blocked or restricted in anyway.

I guess he didn't learn his lesson from Nazi Germany.

Answer 10

no i don,t think they have a right to do this,however if it is adult content they might.