Culture

Canada Sleeps Through War to 'Save the Internet'

by mtippett | November 20, 2008 at 05:27 pm

316 views | 34 Recommendations | 11 comments

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Net neutrality. A bland phrase capable of sparking a digital revolt.
In the United States it's the hot-button Internet issue of the day, a threat deemed so grave to free expression it gave rise to a stunning right-left coalition and galvanized celebrities and rock icons like REM with church groups, rights groups, academics, the CEOs of Google and Amazon, web pioneers Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee and the 1.5 million Americans who sent a petition to Congress. (Not to mention providing the raison d'être for this hip short film primer on the topic.)

In Canada, on the other hand, the latest count on Kevin McArthur's online net neutrality petition clocks in at, well, a paltry 217 signatures.

Today I'm embarrassed to be a Canadian. We should be ashamed of ourselves for letting this happen. This is an example of the kind of behaviour that will keep us in the business of digging stuff out of the ground and nothing more. This is not the kind of policy that will result in a vibrant Canadian new media culture. Given that everything is becoming more and more digital, this means that we will not have a vibrant Canadian culture. Anyone who has any interest in this country should pay attention to this issue and oppose throttling in any form.

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Erik Larson

at 00:00 on November 21st, 2008

13716 signatures now- if you're Canadian and reading this, support your right to Net Neutrality- sign the petition

I used their action form here and sent an email reminding them that restrictions on the internet will make Canada less competitive and prepared as a nation, and they should think of their children and their children.

I'm in California and can't sign, but i supported SaveTheInternet.com; the 2004 Congress failed to kill Net Neutrality in the US due to the public outcry.

Erik Larson

at 17:18 on November 21st, 2008

Links to Reddit and Digg

and relevant commentary from the CEO of a Corporation that supports Net Neutrality:

Google CEO: Oil is Finite But Information Is Infinite

and scare tactics from the Telcos:

AT&T Shills Proclaim End of the Internet

Brent Eagleson (not verified)

at 11:49 on November 21st, 2008

You're right Erik... but nothing will become of this petition, whether in Canada, the U.S. or any other part of our fine planet.

WHY?

Big Corporations and Government don't want us having this much say to the rest of the earth's population, cause it undermines their 'control' of us. Big Brother is not only watching, their controlling us through every method they can come up with.

Unfortunately, humans not in Big Corporations or Government, we lose. Period !

You're pretty naive to think otherwise.

LAME LOONIE IN LA LA LAND!

Erik Larson

at 14:54 on November 21st, 2008

"You're pretty naive to think otherwise."

Not sure what about my comment or channel gave you the idea i think corpse care what the People want. Also, i disagree that it matters; i think what matters is what the People want, and if people look, there's many examples from history of the power of single voices and social movements; so if you want Net Neutrality for you and your kids kids, raise your voice and organize- while it's still "legal"- not that laws override inalienable human and civil rights.

Corpse should think twice before wasting their stockholder's dollars trying to manipulate public opinion and free choice in the Network Age; the corporate models of the future will consider the public interest and human and social welfare; information technology continues to empower individuals at an exponentially accelerating pace. Exploitation, oppression and war are obsolete; cooperation, communication and information rule.

Erik Larson

at 14:57 on November 21st, 2008

for some reason the petition still says 13716 signatures- and for some reason this article has 61 views and only 2 recommendations; i would think anyone able to click on an article like this would be a human who appreciates the web-

if you're Canadian, recommend this article and sign the petition !!!

Erik Larson

at 21:06 on November 22nd, 2008

What's going on here? I recommended this story, and I don't have a job at NowPublic; aren't there more than 3 people who work here, who'll recommend this story and sign the petition?

Whether it was the public outcry or not, the Republocrat-controlled Congress and the military-corporate complex did not manage to kill Net Neutrality in the 109th Congress; it never got to come up for a vote, and a similarly bad bill has not been attempted in the 110th, although they haven't managed to get additional protections passed.