MAG-net

The Internet as a Universal Service, the Conservative and Corporate Backlash, and the Struggle Over How We Communicate.

Lea en español abajo: El Internet como Servicio Universal, el contraataque corporativo, y la lucha por nuestra comunicación. 

For the past month the most important telecommunications platform of our time, the Internet, has gone without any form of regulation or government oversight. This situation didn't cause some downward spiral collapsing email and leading to tolls for visiting pages across the web - thank goodness. But, after the ruling in the Comcast Bit Torrent case an opening was presented for Broadband Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to brush off government authority. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for D.C. ruled that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) doesn't have the authority to impose regulation on ISPs. If this situation sticks ISPs have clearly stated what they intend to do - charge whatever they like for any content they like, while limiting traffic for those who don't pay high premiums.

Today, in cities across the country people are standing up and saying they will not sit silently as their connection with the world is cut off.