Web 2.0, meet Astroturf 2.0
Ars Technica mentions in an article titled”Web 2.0, meet Astroturf 2.0:
“A new report from the non-profit group Common Cause details the ways that industry groups are setting up fake grassroots organizations (aka “astroturf” organizations) to join the fight against Net neutrality legislation. Five such groups are profiled in the newly released report, entitled Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing, Part 2: More Telecom Industry Front Groups and Astroturf. Part 1 of the series was released back in March.
“The five astroturf groups profiled are the following:
Hands Off the Internet
TV4US
NetCompetition.org
The Future… Faster
Video Access Alliance
“The first group, for instance, claims to be “a nationwide coalition of Internet users.” In reality, though, Common Cause has found that they’re a front group for AT&T that at one point was spending $20,000 per day on advertising. The second group, TV4US, was mentioned in a previous story on how much the telcos are spending to fight Net neutrality legislation.”
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Net Neutrality, of course, is a critial concept that should be a great source of concern to ALL INTERNET USERS. It means, “I pay my ISp for accessing the Internet, at a certain level of service, at a certain speed. As long as it’s legal, what I do – VOIP, gaming, downloading, listening to TV or radio – is NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS.”
What the ISP want however is quite different. They want to charge you for BASIC service. Then, they want to charge you again for VOIP quality of service, unless they charge you for using THEIR Voice-Over-IP; then change you again for QoS for playing XBox Live, unless you pay to use their servers…
Ad nauseam.
And I a SO SICK of being eaten alive by fleas. A nibble here by bank ATM fees. A nibble there by the phone company. A large bite by Municipal, Provincial, Federal taxmen. GST, PST… First thing I know, I am broke, all my money is gone and I have little to show for it.
So – NO. The line is drawn. I pay for INTERNET ACCESS. That means all-I-can-eat within the restrictions of the service I chose. Net neutrality should not be up for negitiations.
And despicable measures such as creating false grassroot, lobbying organization to fool the elected officials are loathsome.
Make sure YOUR ISP is aware if you feel the same.