In the shadow of the Olympics and the 7th anniversary of 9-11, the US National Security Agency and Communist China are jointly proposing a new set of technical standards that threaten to end net neutrality once and for all.  According to a report, the UN’s International Telecommunication Union will be meeting in closed door sessions to discuss adopting the IP Traceback drafting group, named Q6/17.  If adopted, these measures would remove all anonymity from the web and they appear designed to allow a government to control the Internet-based free speech of their populations.” U.N. agency eyes curbs on Internet anonymity, cnet news

“Critics point out the newfound powers that would strip users of their anonymous identities could be misused, and in many cases violate an individual’s human rights that are protected by law particularly in the United States and internationally by the Council of Europe.

A document submitted by China and obtained by CNET News proposes to log essential information about the originator to ensure traceability. Another reportedly leaked document would give government reign over free speech, allowing it to quash their opposition and violating the UN‘s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, though at least one member of Q6/17 does not recognize the political document as being part of any Q6/17 meetings.” Internet anonymity endangered by UN agency project, macnn/electronista

In lieu of these and other recent disturbing trends, one can’t help but fear that our trade with China is indeed more two-way than the financials portend.  The Chinese seem to be getting our technology, manufacturing, jobs and know-how and in turn, our NSA and assorted security agencies are embracing the more effective tactics of a totalitarian régime.  China has a true bounty to offer in its wisdom, rich heritage and people.  It is sad that while trading our best we choose to take their worst.

Tags: 9-11, Agency, China, Communist, communist china, council of europe, drafting group, free speech, international telecommunication union, Internet, internet anonymity, Internet-based, ip traceback, manufacturing jobs, National, national security agency, Net Neutrality & Stats, Net Neutrality & Stats, Neutrality, olympics, rich heritage, Security, security agencies, United States, universal declaration of human rights

In a move anticipated by many Net Neutrality watchdog groups, Time Warner Cable, Comcast and AT&T have announced that they are officially pursuing a metered Internet service provider system. As our ISP’s, these corporations function as our collective gateway’s to the Internet. Now these gateways are tightening their grasp for all but those who can afford to pay their premiums.

Yes, we all remember tiered dial-up service but the Internet has changed. Unlimited broadband provided the framework for another leap in the maturity and democratization of the Internet. The lesson is clear THE SAME INTERNET FOR ALL. These policies only serve to steer us away from the progress we have already made.

Don’t be fooled, this will cripple future broadband innovation. Unlimited broadband connections to the Internet and the freedom to visit websites that rely on broadband-based technologies will become a privilege. This will certainly deepen the already significant digital divide between people who have access to free and unfettered communication with the rest of humanity and those who do not.

This is seen by many as the necessary first step to “reduce Internet access to a TV-like subscription model, only offering access to a small standard amount of commercial sites and require extra fees for every other site you visit. These ‘other’ sites would then lose all their exposure and eventually shut down, resulting in what could be seen as the end of the Internet.” ISP’s confirm ‘2012: The Year The Internet Ends’, iPower

Metered billing could also put a crimp in the plans of services like Apple Inc.’s iTunes that use the Internet to deliver video. DVD-by-mail pioneer Netflix Inc. just launched a TV set-top box that receives an unlimited stream of Internet video for as little as $8.99 per month. Time Warner Cable tries metering Internet use, ap va yahoo news

AT&T believes it “inevitable” that its most frequent Internet users will pay some kind of surcharge for the extra demand on the network, says company representative Michael Coe. AT&T mulling fees for heavy Internet use, electronista

Time Warner Cable will launch a trial program on Thursday which will impose monthly Internet consumption caps on new subscribers in Beaumont, Texas. Following a two-month grace period, cable users will pay $1 for each additional gigabyte consumed beyond the cap. 40GB for $55 per month: Time Warner bandwidth caps arrive, ars technica

Comcast is evaluating a capping system that it hopes will pay for the cost of very heavy users without affecting most reasonable use, according to a tip sent to BBR. In the proposed plan, the provider would implement a clear 250GB monthly data transfer cap and charge users $15 extra per month for every 10GB increment past the limit. Comcast mulling 250GB cap, excess fees?, electronista

Don’t let OUR Internet devolve to this:

Tags: broadband connections, comcast, democratization, dial up service, extra fees, frequent internet users, internet service provider, internet use, itunes, Net Neutrality & Stats, Net Neutrality & Stats, netflix inc, subscription model, time warner cable, unlimited broadband

On Thursday June 19, 2008, leaders of Congress and the White House reached an agreement to approved telco amnesty, legalize and then expand President Bush’s Secret Spy Program. All citizens should know that when the bill is enacted, your email, website, phone calls and any other digital communication will be unprotected.

Who will have access to this information and for what purposes?  How will it be protected?  How long will it be until this sweeping new power is abused?  What precedent does giving immunity to corporations who collaborated with illegal government activities set?  After all, I stick to my cell phone agreement.  Shouldn’t they?

With legal action pending against major telecommunications companies, House Republican Whip Roy Blunt said courts will make the call but predicted, “The lawsuits will be dismissed.” FERRARO, Thomas (2008), Spy bill to shield phone companies from lawsuits, Reuters, [19 June 2008]

“I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get,” said Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, who led the negotiations. LICHBLAU, Eric (2008), Deal Is Struck to Overhaul Wiretap Law, The New York Times, [20 June 2008]

Tags: 19 june, amnesty, FINALIZED, Gov, illegal government, Image, immunity, Net Neutrality & Stats, Partner, precedent, ScherrTech.com, spy bill, spy program, telco, telecommunications companies, Website, wiretap law

On Tuesday February 12, 2008 the Senate approved telco amnesty, legalized and then expanded President Bush’s Secret Spy Program. When the bill is enacted, your email, website, phone calls and any other digital communication will be unprotected.

Senators Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut have argued that the plan effectively rewarded phone companies by providing them with legal insulation for actions that violated longstanding law and their own privacy obligations to their customers. “This is a dramatic restructuring” of surveillance law, said Michael Sussmann, a former Justice Department intelligence lawyer who represents several telecommunication companies. “And the thing that’s so dramatic about this is that you’ve removed the court review. There may be some checks after the fact, but the administration is picking the targets.” LICHBLAU, Eric (2008), Bush Presses House to Approve Bill on Surveillance, The New York Times, [13 Feb 2008]

Considering the severity of this news and its impact on our civil liberties, I took the time to review how this story of critical importance has been reported on by some of the major news organizations. What I found was surprising. Only two news sources had mention of this article on their homepage using a headline that accurately reflects the event. Five sources had misleading headlines, Reuters even titled their article “Bush opposes temporary extension of spy program” and then proceeded report how the bill passed the Senate. Eight news sources had no mention whatsoever of the story. List below.

New York Times – “Senate Vows to Expand Spy Powers”
Wired – “Senate Approves Telecom Amnesty, Widens Spying”

Reuters – “Bush opposes temporary extension of spy program”
BBC News – “Bush warns Congress on wiretaps”
USA Today – “Bush prods House on surveillance”
AOL News – “Bush Presses House on Surveillance Bill”
Yahoo News – “Bush presses House on surveillance Bill”

Washington Post – No Mention
Fox News – No Mention
CBS News – No Mention
Chicago Tribune – No Mention
CNN – No Mention
MSNBC – No Mention
New York Post – No Mention
Bloomberg – No Mention

Meanwhile, on nearly every news source mentioned above the lead story was…

Clemens and McNamee battle over steroid use.

Tags: Christopher J. Dodd, civil liberties, critical importance, digital communication, fact, Image, law, major news, misleading headlines, Net Neutrality & Stats, plan, Press, restructuring, Roger Clemens Vs, russ feingold, ScherrTech.com, Secret, spy program, surveillance, surveillance bill, telecommunication companies, Website, wiretaps, Yahoo

The following is an excellent explanation of Net Neutrality and why it is important from savetheinternet.com.

Support Net Neutrality!

What is this about?
When we log onto the Internet, we take a lot for granted. We assume we’ll be able to access any Web site we want, whenever we want, at the fastest speed, whether it’s a corporate or mom-and-pop site. We assume that we can use any service we like watching online video, listening to podcasts, sending instant messages anytime we choose. What makes all these assumptions possible is Network Neutrality.

What is Network Neutrality?
Network Neutrality or “Net Neutrality” for short is the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet.

Put simply, Net Neutrality means no discrimination. Net Neutrality prevents Internet providers from speeding up or slowing down Web content based on its source, ownership or destination.

Net Neutrality is the reason why the Internet has driven economic innovation, democratic participation, and free speech online. It protects the consumer’s right to use any equipment, content, application or service on a non-discriminatory basis without interference from the network provider. With Net Neutrality, the network’s only job is to move data not choose which data to privilege with higher quality service.

Who wants to get rid of Net Neutrality?
The nation’s largest telephone and cable companies including AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner want to be Internet gatekeepers, deciding which Web sites go fast or slow and which won’t load at all.

They want to tax content providers to guarantee speedy delivery of their data. They want to discriminate in favor of their own search engines, Internet phone services, and streaming video while slowing down or blocking their competitors.

These companies have a new vision for the Internet. Instead of an even playing field, they want to reserve express lanes for their own content and services or those from big corporations that can afford the steep tolls and leave the rest of us on a winding dirt road.

The big phone and cable companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission to gut Net Neutrality, putting the future of the Internet at risk.

The End of the Internet?
Make no mistake: The freewheeling Internet as we know it could very well become history.

What does that mean? It means we could be heading toward a pay-per-view Internet where Web sites have fees. It means we may have to pay a network tax to run voice-over-the-Internet phones, use an advanced search engine, or chat via Instant Messenger. The next generation of magical new inventions will be shut out of the top-tier service level. Meanwhile the network owners will rake in even greater profits.

Read more about Net Neutrality at the any of the following websites:

savetheinternet.com | openinternetcoalition.com | eff.org

Tags: cable companies, comcast, content, content providers, democratic participation, discriminatory basis, free speech, guiding principle, innovation, Net Neutrality & Stats, Net Neutrality & Stats, network neutrality, Neutrality, new vision, open internet, ownership, privilege, savetheinternet, speed, tolls

Possibly reacting to the uproar over the recent Network Solutions debacle, ICANN (the organization that governs domain names) and Google have announced that they are taking immideate action to plug the “domain grace period hole” that has allowed the process of “tasting” and “front running” to be profitable.

Google leads, ICANN follows: domain tasters can now eat dirt
By Nate Anderson | Published: January 30, 2008 - 01:53PM CT

“Domain tasting might sound like a leisurely Sunday afternoon activity, but ICANN isn’t amused, and it has just proposed a crackdown plan that could make “tasting” and “front running” of domains an unprofitable activity.

Under current ICANN rules, anyone who registers a new domain name has a five-day grace period to back out and receive a total refund. The policy is in place to prevent hassles if people mistype domain names during signup or simply have buyer’s remorse at signing up for ilovespaminacan.com. But because a five-day registration is free, some users “taste” millions of domain names in order to see how well they perform as marketing vehicles. The sites that don’t perform are then deleted and the cash refunded.”

Continued…

Tags: Gov, Net Neutrality & Stats, Press, ScherrTech.com, SPAM