Internet Neutrality, an American Debate

[Wells]

Debate Simmering in US Over Regulation of Internet

A heated debate is shaping up in Washington about a concept some
activists are calling Internet network neutrality, known more popularly
as net neutrality. At issue are calls for the U.S. government to
regulate the Internet, and, in effect, opponents say, determine which
companies get bigger shares of the profits.

To read the full text, please go to:
http://www.contactomagazine.com/internetdebate0606.htm

[Evertjan.]

Wells wrote on 19 jun 2006 in comp.lang.javascript:

Debate Simmering in US Over Regulation of Internet

A heated debate is shaping up in Washington about a concept some
activists are calling Internet network neutrality, known more popularly
as net neutrality. At issue are calls for the U.S. government to
regulate the Internet, and, in effect, opponents say, determine which
companies get bigger shares of the profits.

And you think this can be done with javascript?????????????

Please show relevant code.

--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Please change the x'es to dots in my emailaddress)

[RobG]

Wells wrote:

Debate Simmering in US Over Regulation of Internet

A heated debate is shaping up in Washington about a concept some
activists are calling Internet network neutrality, known more popularly
as net neutrality. At issue are calls for the U.S. government to
regulate the Internet, and, in effect, opponents say, determine which
companies get bigger shares of the profits.

<noscript>
The US government can't, by itself, regulate the internet. Large
companies can already 'buy' bandwidth to some extent. The same
debate occurs from time to time whenever it is perceived that business
has too much control over essential infrastructure.

The US will soon learn its place. There is a significant backlash to
US TV networks trying to affect scheduling of events at the Beijing
Olympics so that they occur during US prime-time. The fact that 95%
of the world's population doesn't live in the US doesn't seem to
concern the networks - such arrogance will reap its own rewards.

The US may have started the Internet and may hold considerable power
over global networks, but they do not control it anymore than Daimler
Benz can control the automobile market, or Marconi the television
market. If it is perceived that US companies are affecting data speeds
illegally (based on laws in individual countries) they may soon find it
very difficult to maintain offices or own businesses in those
countries. If the US as a whole doesn't play nicely, they may find
themselves on telecommunications isthmus, with greatly reduced
bandwidth to the rest of the world.

Maybe that's a good thing. :-)

Let the senators fight over it all they like, big business will do
whatever it will do regardless. Maybe the US should look to enforcing
existing laws to prevent anti-competitive behavoiur.
</noscript>

--
Rob