Net Neutering

A federal court in Washington ruled that the Federal Communications Commission cannot regulate Internet service providers to make them allow everything and anything to go through after Verizon sued, claiming the rules were a burden on its ability to conduct business. Now any ISP can block access to some sites and/or make you pay a premium to access others. Legislation to correct this is unlikely - okay, impossible - and the FCC can't seem to decide whether to appeal or rewrite the rules to comport with the judicial ruling.

So, while pro-life protesters in Massachusetts are trying to get a state law creating a buffer zone at abortion clinics between the protesters and the staff and clientele entering the buildings overturned, and under the guise of protecting the right to "free speech," Internet service providers now have the right to restrict just that. They can decide whose sites you can see, read, or even buy products from and whose sites you can't. 

I don't have Verizon, and there's no indication that my ISP will attempt to restrict anything. But your ISP might. If it does, bear in mind that there aren't many ISPs to choose from; it's not exactly an open market. (If you make such a choice, take a cue from the Round Templar knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and choose carefully and wisely.) I'm aware that my own blog may be restricted by some other ISP, maybe the one you use, simply because one of its corporate officers doesn't like what I say on this blog . . . about high-speed rail, for example. My advice? Enjoy this blog while you can. :-O 

Then again, I'm probably not important enough to be blocked . . ..