Net Neutrality...is the Honeymoon over?

[Tomfurbs]

There are rumblings on the interwebs that by 2012 most ISP's will be operating a kind of DigiTV-style package system, whereby you pay a monthly subscription for a certain number of websites, and then pay extra for any other sites you visit.

Kind of like a phone package with 'free' minutes built into your monthly payment. If you overuse, you get hit with inflated charges.


Anybody else heard anything about this? I'm getting mighty suspicious of claims that use the phrase 'by 2012', but if there is a grain of truth in this, I imgine it will have serious consequences for our daily lives.

[thx1138]

Yes, I saw an article the other day. In effect it amounts to a censorship of the internet. I'll post the link if I can find it.

[MacShreach]

It's all over Digg and other sites that a cynical observer might term "the usual suspects." The story seems to have originated on YouTube and has been widely identified as a hoax that lacks any sort of credible source.

More plausible is that real bandwidth beasts like YouTube and the BBC's iPlayer might be charged at source while the rest is free. These sites would then have to recover that through subscriptions or advertising. Further it is clear that certain governments would like to restrict internet freedom of speech and association. So there are nasty people out there trying their best to put the lid back on Pandora's box; but they have been trying a while and have so far failed completely. That doesn't mean people should be complacent, just that the Internet is very very powerful and getting more so.

Also the internet will be the third largest advertising market within 2 years according to this article in the UK Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007...ising.internet

and this growth is likely to continue. Many people in the Media think that the internet will become THE largest vehicle for advertising in the next decade and it is true that ISP's are seeking to broaden their customer base while at the same time getting their hands on some of that revenue. Pricing the big commercial sites for bandwidth use makes sense, whereas attempting to block all the piddly little sites like mine just does not.

Some hosting companies (who would be hard hit by this proposal) have let it be known that they would move into IS provision if any such plan became a real threat. Many ISPs already provide hosting and it would seem extremely perverse to limit access to small sites given that.

Furthermore, any attempt to restrict access in the way that is suggested in the article would require the ISPs to act in concert (otherwise subscribers would just migrate away) and that is absolutely bound to hit anti-trust legislation right across the world.

And as someone said (not here) "They're talking 4 years away-- there are plenty of examples of things that were going to happen (inside the internet) in that timescale and never did."

I'm not saying people aren't trying to stuff us; they are, and vigilance is prudent. I am saying, however, that these stories do have to be taken with a pinch of salt.

[thx1138]

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles...l_internet.htm

[chefmike]

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/june2008/061108_kill_internet.htm

LMFAO...now there's a website known for it's veracity...

[Willie Escalade]

If there's a way for someone to make more money by denying something that was previously free, they'll find it.

[thx1138]

another: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles..._pull_plug.htm

[Ben]

[pointblack]

There are rumblings on the interwebs that by 2012 most ISP's will be operating a kind of DigiTV-style package system, whereby you pay a monthly subscription for a certain number of websites, and then pay extra for any other sites you visit.

Kind of like a phone package with 'free' minutes built into your monthly payment. If you overuse, you get hit with inflated charges.


Anybody else heard anything about this? I'm getting mighty suspicious of claims that use the phrase 'by 2012', but if there is a grain of truth in this, I imgine it will have serious consequences for our daily lives.

Remember! Mama always said... Son like every good tranny there is always a back door.

[Ben]

If there's a way for someone to make more money by denying something that was previously free, they'll find it.

Yep --