This day is without food blogs

The sky is falling. Yes, I'm not just being Chicken Little. The sky is falling. And hardly anyone is looking. That's what kills me.

A huge change is brewing in the US Congress, fueled by lobbyists from large telephone companies and service providers. If these lobbyists are successful then the face of the Internet that we know and love will change forever.

From the NY Time's Editorial Desk May 2,2006:

"One of the Internet's great strengths is that a single blogger or a small political group can inexpensively create a Web page that is just as accessible to the world as Microsoft's home page. But this democratic Internet would be in danger if the companies that deliver Internet service changed the rules so that Web sites that pay them money would be easily accessible, while little-guy sites would be harder to access, and slower to navigate".

But access to the Internet is not exactly equal now, is it? People pay for varying speed of connection to the Internet, dial-up, DSL, T1, etc. Those with more money can access the Internet at much faster speed than those with less. That's what you think, yes?

That is something different though. Currently, consumers can pay for different speed of connection, but once they are connected to the Internet, there is no difference between accessing the massive Yahoo.com or the little chezpim.com. But when the new law is passed the service providers will be allowed to dole out different websites or services at different speed, essentially by creating two-tier Internet: one with super fast speed for the sites who are willing to pay, and the other with only the slow lane, for those unwilling or unable to pay up.

That means that the phone companies can tell you that if you want to access CNN.com, you can use the fast lane, but if you want to see your friend's blog, you will have to use the slow lane.

This is a blatant violation of the principle called Net Neutrality, and it will change the face of the Internet forever. And since a huge part of the Internet goes through the US, or through routers and switches owned by companies in the US, this change will affect you no matter where you are.

Do you know what I mean by the sky falling now? And it really kills me that hardly anyone is looking. We should not let a change this fundamental happen under our radar.

Please learn more about this important issue. Make up your own mind, and act on it.

I do hope that you go to savetheinternet.com and sign a petition. You could also write your congressperson or senator to show your support of Net Neutrality, and tell them to protect democracy on the Internet.

More resources:
Keeping a Democratic Web
New York Times' Editorial Desk, May 2, 2006
Catching the Web in a Net of Neutrality
Washingtonpost.com, May 2, 2006
Why You Should Care About Network Neutrality?
Slate.com, May 1, 2006

dontmesswiththenet.com/blog/
savetheinternet.com

Food Bloggers, please join us and make today a day without your food blog as well!

Tag your post with the following tags or leave a comment to tell me you've joined if you want your name added to the list.

tag(s):Net Neutrality | Day without Food Blogs

Comments

[farmgirl]

Great post, Pim. I came over to see what you had put up and to get some ideas for my own post about this. Thanks for helping to bring about awareness of this important (and sad and scary) situation. I hope every food blogger joins in today!

[Jeff]

Don't forget people paying to get their sites ranked! One may have a great site, but you really have to work hard to get it advertised.

[Maureen]

Pim - what a great job of posting this issue! Thanks

Maureen

[Bea at La Tartine Gourmande]

Hi Pim,

Thanks for this post.

I joined in here:

http://www.beaskitchen.com/blog/2006/05/16/save-the-internet-a-day-without-a-food-blog/

Bea

[Charlotte]

I'm back in the foodblogging world ... and in. Thanks Pim!

[anni]

Very informative post.

Count me in. Please include me on the list.

Http://blissfulbanquent.blogspot.com

[Harold Elder]

Worthwhile post. This is an important topic, even for us foodies. I am, however, not convinced that this is as close on the horizon as some think. I suspect there would be very strong reaction in the internet community to this that the politicians will not ignore. Some of the telcos have been asking for this for a long time--especially Bellsouth (my local company). Their voice may become louder if their merger with SBC/AT&T becomes a reality. Of course, I am often more sanguine about these things and a strong believer in the working of markets.

PS. You've got a great blog--it's already helped me out in planning a trip this summer to Europe. Hard to get good information out here in the hinterlands....

[Harold Elder]

Informative post, though I am a little more sanguine about how imminent these changes are. I think there will be a strong reaction by the web community if this policy starts becoming a good possibility. One does have to consider, though, that one of the strongest voices for these changes, Bellsouth (my local telco) may be a stronger force if their merger with SBC/AT&T goes through.

PS. I am really happy to have found your blog (yes, via the NY Times article); it's already helped me to plan a trip to Europe this summer. It' hard to get useful information out here in the hinterlands....

[Ptipois]

Dear Pim, you may add Chez Ptipois to your list. Being in the middle of a 15-day photo project, haven't got time to update it these days, but so far I have signed the petition.

http://www.ptipois.canalblog.fr

[MM]

I'm a couple of days late as I only recently returned to blog world. So sorry I did not abstain out of ignorance but now that I know ...

I am not American but I totally agree with you that it will affect us all. So I will post about this on my blog. Thanks for the heads up.

[jasmine]

Hi Pim

Found your post through a couple of other blogs. Great words...

Best of luck, I'm not American, but I'm sure Canadian telcos are watching the American situation with great interest.

I wrote a quick post about savetheinternet last night. I hope it helps:

http://cardamomaddict.blogspot.com/2006/05/day-without-foodblogs-help-save.html

j

[Bibliochef]

Hi. I am going to try to build on this type of action around the announced Hunger Strike against the war in IRAQ by asking folks to avoid food blogging on July 4th. Check out my site and join in the generation of ideas in how to accomplish something in support of another use of food issues.

[Thai TV]

Is this threat to the Internet now gone once for all?