Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Fight For The Net


I never thought I would be posting on here again after my Social Media class ended last semester but since the Internet is slow today because of the ongoing battle for Net Neutrality, I decided it was time to come back and do a quick blog starting off with my tweet which will take you to the Fight for the Future website where you can add your name, share this important message on your various social media outlets or donate a dollar if you so wish. Either way, let's get this message spread out and save the Internet from the cable companies.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Net Neutrality Awareness in Social Media

So far throughout my Social Media class course I have been able to branch out into a few different areas of social media to get the word out about Net Neutrality Awareness. If you haven't already, here are the links to the different sites where to go for the latest news in the world of Net Neutrality:




Once again, thank you for your support throughout this semester and let's continue the fight for an open Internet.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Has the FCC Given Up on Net Neutrality?

Last week there have been reports all over the web and mainstream media that the FCC has officially decided to throw in the towel and come up with a proposal that could spell the end of Net Neutrality as we know it. The alleged proposal would give ISP's preferential treatment to content producers who are willing to pay for better access to consumers.

However within a day after the news of the proposal hit the web, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler went on the FCC's blog and said that the news was all "a great deal of misinformation" which he says will be addressed when the official proposal is circulated among the commission. Whether or not Wheeler says he is planning to make the first draft of his Open Internet Notice of Proposed Rulemaking public remains to be seen as he hopes to have the proposal finished by the end of the year.

However, Wheeler's denial of the earlier reports of the FCC abandoning Net Neutrality is still being met with criticism. Chris Welch, a reporter for The Verge website said, "Despite his best efforts, Wheeler's words won't do much to calm the storm."

So the big question remains. Has the FCC given up on Net Neutrality entirely?

Source: FCC denies plans to kill net neutrality: http://rt.com/usa/154628-fcc-wheeler-denies-reports/


Sunday, April 6, 2014

Net Neutrality Now Law in EU

Last week, the EU Parliament voted 543-25 in favor of Net Neutrality and also abolished roaming charges for mobile phone use in EU countries which is a step in the right direction as far as a free and open Internet goes.

With the signing of the new Net Neutrality bill, the EU officially closed loopholes in a proposed bill that would have created a two-tier Internet by way of the so-called Telecom Package which would have enabled Internet service providers the power to charge more for certain data-intensive content services which include streaming video and voice-over IP. It also ensures that universities, hospitals and the like are not pushed out of the market as a result of deals between Internet service providers and content providers.

This landmark vote is a step in the right direction. Now if only the US would do this . Come on, US, it's all up to you now.

Source: EU votes Net Neutrality into law, abolishes mobile roaming charges: http://www.infoworld.com/d/networking/eu-votes-net-neutrality-law-abolishes-mobile-roaming-charges-239765


Saturday, March 29, 2014

FCC is still working to keep Net Neutrality Alive

Still reeling from its defeat in the US Appeals Court's decision to throw out the Net Neutrality laws in January and under mounting pressure from Democrats in Congress, the FCC has revealed that it has been working on a plan that will preserve the idea of a free and open Internet.

Among some of the actions that the FCC could fix is to reclassify broadband carriers such as Verizon, AT&T and Comcast among others as "common carriers" which would put them in the same category as phone companies. They could also appeal to Congress to revise the Communications Act to include Net Neutrality in its statutes. However, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler warned that while a revision is necessary, it could take years and by the time such a revision becomes law, it would end up becoming quickly outdated.

That while the FCC's plan as to how they intend to keep Net Neutrality alive remains to be seen. However, one thing remains clear: The FCC is facing pressure from Democrats to come up with a legal solution quickly that would stand up to judicial scrutiny. 

And as a person who works on the Internet, I wholeheartedly agree with the Democrats on this. The FCC needs to act quickly because the future of those who need the Internet for their businesses, careers, or anything else they use it for is on the line.

Source: "Amid Political Pressure, FCC to Propose Net Neutrality Fix"- http://www.cnet.com/news/amid-political-pressure-fcc-to-propose-net-neutrality-fix/


Monday, March 17, 2014

Net Neutrality Awareness on Twitter

I have officially created a Twitter page for my topic on Net Neutrality Awareness. If you want to follow it, here is the link: http://twitter.com/netneutralityhc

Thank you everyone and continue to help spread the word about Net Neutrality.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Net Neutrality YouTube video


A brief six-minute video from YouTube explaining what Net Neutrality is and why people should care about it and support it. It is very interesting and I hope you will check it out.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Net Neutrality Facebook Page

In order for me to raise more awareness for the cause of Net Neutrality, I have decided to create a Facebook page exclusively devoted to said topic. So if you want to go and click the like button on the page, here is the link to the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/netneutralityawareness

Once again, thanks for following the blog and continuing to raise awareness for this important topic.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

savetheinternet.com Review

Since the purpose of this blog is to raise awareness for Net Neutrality, I found a site online that is exclusively devoted to the cause to protect Net Neutrality: savetheinternet.com, a site created by freepress.net.

The purpose of savetheinternet.com is to raise awareness for why Net Neutrality is important for the economic, individual and political freedoms of individuals who use the Internet, especially in the wake of the DC Court of Appeals decision in the Verizon vs. the FCC case which sets the stage for the end of Net Neutrality. They also bring up that the telecommunication companies' attempts to take over the Internet and turn it into another outlet like Cable TV is not only an infringement on our First Amendment rights it is also an infringement on our basic unalienable human rights such as the right to assemble privately and freedom of expression.

The site also offers helpful information in regards to Internet Freedoms, an expose in regards to the NSA's use of the Internet to spy on not only American citizens but also people all over the world as it was revealed by Edward Snowden last year. It also showcases tools, events, and also has a section where you can take action and sign petitions to assist in the fight to preserve Net Neutrality and end the government and telecommunication companies' infringement of our rights in regards to the Internet.

So if you believe in Net Neutrality and want to help in the fight for a free and open Internet, I highly recommend this site and I urge you to check it out. Here is the link if you see the site: http://savetheinternet.com

Monday, February 17, 2014

Why Net Neutrality is Important

Hello, everyone and welcome to this blog that I have created to raise awareness for one of the most important topics facing people in the 21st Century: Net Neutrality.

What is net neutrality? Net neutrality is the principle that Internet Service Providers and the government should treat any information shared on the Internet equally without discrimination toward content creators and without charging or blocking people from viewing certain sites. The idea of Net Neutrality was actually in existence since the 1860's, long before the Internet was even an idea but the term itself was actually coined in the early 2000's. For years, the US government has been locked in an endless stream of legal battles over whether or not net neutrality should be made law.

The most recent case against Net Neutrality occurred on January 14, 2014 when the DC District Court ruled in favor of Verizon that the Federal Communications Commission has no right to enforce net neutrality laws on the grounds that service providers are not common carriers. That means that Verizon and other providers have the right to control what sites their customers see and the right to block consumers from viewing certain sites that they find offensive.

There are many reasons why Net Neutrality must be allowed to exist. For one thing, the Internet is successful primarily because it has opened the ways to how we communicate with each other; view original content created by regular people like you and me; and has opened up new jobs in a society where unemployment runs rampant. If the service providers control the Internet it will undermine the success of the Internet and most importantly if they are allowed to slow and block various sites, it is an infringement on the consumer's First Amendment rights (most notably Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press, which also includes anything posted on the Internet.)

In conclusion, the preservation of Net Neutrality is important because the Internet is the key to the future prosperity of the world, in terms of economy, advancement of society, communication and stability.