Wyden Warns Of Market Domination Without 'Net Neutrality' Provisions

WYDEN WARNS OF MARKET DOMINATION WITHOUT 'NET NEUTRALITY' PROVISIONS
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: David Hatch]
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) painted a grim portrait of an Internet dominated by telecom and cable giants if legislation approved late last month by the Senate Commerce Committee legislation is enacted into law. "Unless there is a clear policy preserving the neutrality of the Internet, and without tough sanctions against those who would discriminate online, in my view the Internet would be changed forever -- for the worst," he warned during a Senate floor speech. Sen Wyden and other critics worry that the measure's so-called network neutrality provisions are too weak to prevent broadband operators from controlling the content transmitted over their high-speed wires. Those provisions are intended to prevent operators from potentially acting as Internet gatekeepers. Sen Wyden detailed scenarios under which rank-and-file citizens and small businesses would be saddled with hefty fees imposed by Internet providers if the Commerce Committee bill becomes law. Corporations opposed to net neutrality are spending millions of dollars on lobbying and advertising to secure the bill's passage so they can make "billions" from a two-tiered Internet, he contended. Sen Wyden -- who does not sit on the Commerce Committee, but who has been active on a series of Internet-related issues in recent years -- has introduced his own net neutrality measure. "Verizon and Google can take of themselves. They've got deep pockets. They've got lots of clout," said Sen Wyden who emphasized that he is concerned instead about the "future Googles."
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-JCUM1153164778611.html