For those that have not seen the Washington actions on a topic we discussed a few months ago - please read AND ACT ===================================================== NET NEUTRALITY - WHAT IS IT ? * Right now any website you visit arrives at your computer screen at the same speed as any other ie. the internet is neutral as to whom you visit. * A bill passed the US House of Rep last night (HR525) that would change this. WHAT DOES HR5252 SAY ? * Right now, you pay $15 to $40 a month to an ISP - a company like Verizon, Comcast, Earthlink, T-Mobil etc. - to get access to the internet. * The bill HR525 will allow these companies to select specific websites to download faster to your computer. HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU ? * Websites who pay a fee to the ISP will have their pages download faster to your screen than those who don't pay. * In other word DeepPockets.com will appear instantly on your screen but when you go to YourFavoriteNonProfit.org the ball in the browser will spin for hours. WHO IS OPPOSING THIS BILL ? * Conservatives, Liberals, Entrepreneurial Start Ups, The Christian Coalition, MoveOn.org, National Rifle Association, American Friends Service Committee, Google, Amazon, US Rep John Conyers (D - MI), US Rep James Sensnebrenner (R - WI ). * Everyone who believes in unfetttered access to information on the internet. WHAT CAN YOU DO ? * Find out how your congressperson voted last night on HR5252 (see links below) * Contact him/her to tell them you oppose passage of HR5252 and are in favor of Net Neutrality (see links below) * Contact your senator and tell them to support net neutrality in opposing HR5252 when the issue comes befor the Senate. HOW TO CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSONS * Find out who your congressperson is at [1]http://www.house.gov/ * Find out how he/she voted on HR5252 at [2]http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll241.xml * For more information, google "net neutrality" References 1. http://www.house.gov/ 2. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll241.xml