How Not to COPE with the Internet
I was talking to my friend CardWizard yesterday and he told me a bit about a new bill wending its way through Congress called the COPE Act, which stands for "Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006." Perhaps not surprisingly, the opportunity, promotion, and enhancement are all for major telecom corporations to gain more profit from and control of content on the Internet. My friend was telling me about how it will demolish electronic publishing for small publishers (such as himself), but there are lot of other ramifications as well. So, I did some pokin' around, and came up with some useful information on the Act. Common Cause has a summary and useful information on the bill. Here is another summary from the Technology Law Journal, which is somewhat more neutral in its summary, but does provide this gem: "This policy statement relates to guaranteeing for consumers the freedom to use their internet connections to access some of the content, use some of the applications, and attach some of the devices, that they choose." The Association for Community Networks also has information and a lot of good links and recommended actions.
As FreeMarketNews.com put it:
"COPE ACT MOVES FORWARD
Monday, May 01, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com
Federal legislation to change the way the Internet works as we know it made another step towards becoming a law. Last week a House Committee voted 42 to 12 in favor of the Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act and simultaneously voted against an amendment created to protect Internet user’s rights, according to Axcess News and other reports.
The COPE Act, which has been heavily lobbied for by big communications companies, would redefine the way that Internet Service Providers, communications companies, and customers transfer information between each other. It would allow large telecommunications companies to give preferential networking treatment to certain customers and for certain content, while also letting them charge extra fees for different customers. Up until now all Internet participants have given counter parties equal treatment. An amendment to the bill, known as the Net Neutrality Amendment, proposed to preserve equal treatment amongst Internet users. However it was voted down in a 34 to 22 decision. Consequently, if the bill becomes law large Internet companies will be given the power to decide which users receive access to information, and charge different fees for giving that access.
While the legislation is considered a big win for communications companies, it is considered a loss for everyone else that uses the Internet. It will likely pave the way for mass distributions of commercial data such as standardized video feeds. However, critics of the COPE Act argue that it will create an unstable Internet in which everything is either commercialized or considered second class. At the will of large corporations, small companies and users sharing controversial information or trying to express freedom of speech may find themselves blocked out of the Internet altogether."
As far as I can tell, this bill is all about ceding control of the net to telecom corporations so that they can squeeze as much money out of consumers as possible. Congressman Ed Markey tried to put in an amendment preserving net neutrality, but it looks like it got shot down in committee.
Some companies, such as EarthLink, have come out in favor of the bill. In a statement by XVP Christopher Putala, I found on Yahoo Finance, he says: "EarthLink applauds today's action by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure the continued growth of municipal Wi-Fi networks throughout the United States by rejecting efforts that would have restricted municipal networks in more than a dozen states.
The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) act of 2006 is a win for cities and towns that want to build these wireless networks for their residents, businesses and government agencies and helps ensure a competitive marketplace for broadband services."
The most important thing is to let people know about this bill, which seems to be pretty hidden in the major media, and to act if you disagree with its provisions. Common Cause has a page with a sample letter on it that may be useful for mining for info for a leter of your own; it is here. My take on it is that it will give corporations a free hand to determine what consumers can see and do on the internet. This is probably not a good thing. . . . I think I will be writing a letter or two today. . . .
As FreeMarketNews.com put it:
"COPE ACT MOVES FORWARD
Monday, May 01, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com
Federal legislation to change the way the Internet works as we know it made another step towards becoming a law. Last week a House Committee voted 42 to 12 in favor of the Communications Opportunity Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act and simultaneously voted against an amendment created to protect Internet user’s rights, according to Axcess News and other reports.
The COPE Act, which has been heavily lobbied for by big communications companies, would redefine the way that Internet Service Providers, communications companies, and customers transfer information between each other. It would allow large telecommunications companies to give preferential networking treatment to certain customers and for certain content, while also letting them charge extra fees for different customers. Up until now all Internet participants have given counter parties equal treatment. An amendment to the bill, known as the Net Neutrality Amendment, proposed to preserve equal treatment amongst Internet users. However it was voted down in a 34 to 22 decision. Consequently, if the bill becomes law large Internet companies will be given the power to decide which users receive access to information, and charge different fees for giving that access.
While the legislation is considered a big win for communications companies, it is considered a loss for everyone else that uses the Internet. It will likely pave the way for mass distributions of commercial data such as standardized video feeds. However, critics of the COPE Act argue that it will create an unstable Internet in which everything is either commercialized or considered second class. At the will of large corporations, small companies and users sharing controversial information or trying to express freedom of speech may find themselves blocked out of the Internet altogether."
As far as I can tell, this bill is all about ceding control of the net to telecom corporations so that they can squeeze as much money out of consumers as possible. Congressman Ed Markey tried to put in an amendment preserving net neutrality, but it looks like it got shot down in committee.
Some companies, such as EarthLink, have come out in favor of the bill. In a statement by XVP Christopher Putala, I found on Yahoo Finance, he says: "EarthLink applauds today's action by the House Energy and Commerce Committee to ensure the continued growth of municipal Wi-Fi networks throughout the United States by rejecting efforts that would have restricted municipal networks in more than a dozen states.
The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) act of 2006 is a win for cities and towns that want to build these wireless networks for their residents, businesses and government agencies and helps ensure a competitive marketplace for broadband services."
The most important thing is to let people know about this bill, which seems to be pretty hidden in the major media, and to act if you disagree with its provisions. Common Cause has a page with a sample letter on it that may be useful for mining for info for a leter of your own; it is here. My take on it is that it will give corporations a free hand to determine what consumers can see and do on the internet. This is probably not a good thing. . . . I think I will be writing a letter or two today. . . .