Net Neutrality has been in the press for a while now. What is Net Neutrality? Why is it such a hot topic? Most importantly, what does it mean to the average Internet user? There are a lot of people talking about Net Neutrality, what it means, and whether it’s good or bad - and given that Net Neutrality is a political issue sitting in the corporate cross hairs of American big business, the ones making the most noise are a bunch of windbags and equivocators.
Craig Newmark, founder of Craiglist and all-around honest, hardworking guy, has the best description of Net Neutrality you’re ever likely to come across:
“Here’s a real world example that shows how this would work. Let’s say you call Joe’s Pizza and the first thing you hear is a message saying you’ll be connected in a minute or two, but if you want, you can be connected to Pizza Hut right away. That’s not fair, right? You called Joe’s and want some Joe’s pizza. Well, that’s how some telecommunications executives want the Internet to operate, with some Web sites easier to access than others. For them, this would be a money-making regime.”
If you’re in favor of Net Neutrality, you’re in favor of keeping this type of garbage off our Internet. The quote comes from Newmark’s editorial on Net Neutrality. Link via 37 Signals, and Kottke.
