The issue of net neutrality should be an easy one to comprehend. We need legislation that guarantees freedom on the internet because the people can not trust telecomm companies to self-regulate. Corporations like AT and T say they can be trusted, but the evidence shows otherwise. Just this weekend, Pearl Jam played at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Eddie Vetter said some bad things about our dictator-in-chief....guess what, it was censored on the net.
From Down With Tyranny:
CMJ is reporting that AT&T censored Pearl Jam's Lollapalooza set on Sunday. Maybe they figured no one would notice. I guess this has to be expected when one gets in bed with freedom's mortal enemy: corporations, which will always pimp for the status quo. The was an AT&T Blue Room live broadcast set up and an AT&T "content monitor" found "Daughter" too risque for Lollapalooza fans.
Maybe they objected to Eddie quoting that subversive Neil Young! No, it wasn't that. According to the Pearl Jam website it was lines sung by Eddie: "George Bush, leave this world alone" and "George Bush find yourself another home" that offended them so. Pearl Jam doesn't seem too happy:
Most telecommunications companies oppose "net neutrality" and argue that the public can trust them not to censor..
Even the ex-head of AT&T, CEO Edward Whitacre, whose company sponsored our troubled webcast, stated just last March that fears his company and other big network providers would block traffic on their networks are overblown..
Our fears are overblown?? It looks like our fears are actually coming true. The corporate execs are free to support George Bush and his unconstitutional behaviors on an individual basis, but censoring content is a serious no-no. They want to make this type of crap legal. That is the last thing we need. As long as human beings are busy being human beings, especially in the areas of greed, power and ego; we need government regulation to keep these corporate goons in check. Freedom of expression is essential to our democracy, whether it is on the streets or on internet.
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