Geeks Unite!

Allow your eyes to wander over to the right side of the screen and a link proclaiming "Save The Internet!" meets your gaze. Yes, I am talking about the principle called Network Neutrality, which has governed the World Wide Web since its inception. Net Neutrality commonly refers to a series of agreements between Internet Service Providers, (often your local phone or cable company) online service providers, and users of the internet. These agreements ensure an equal level of service to all internet users. But a cadre of special interest groups are pushing Congress to abandon the regulations that allow us to use the internet uninhibited. In its first decade of serious use, the government has done a surprisingly good job of keeping the internet free and open. We all know the economic, as well as communication benefits this as given our society. In a time with increased media consolidation, the internet is one of the last figurative n"public squares" open for the general public. To begin offering two tiers of service is a step down a slippery slope, which leads to a world where what we see on the internet is controlled not by us, but by large corporations, much like TV today. Of course, this issue is actually quite complicated, and the motivations of some groups in supporting neutrality are questionable. Still, the fact remains that without it, the internet would be something very different from what most United States citizens have come to rely on daily.