On 10 September, the battle for the Net will commence – with Internet stakeholders taking on US cable giants to prevent them from undermining Internet neutrality.
Although the issue would seem to be a domestic American battle, users around the world will probably be affected by next week’s “Internet Slowdown”.
According to Battleforthenet.com, cable companies are hoping to charge fees for Web sites to run over their infrastructure, and to slow down those that don’t pay up.
“Cable companies are famous for high prices and poor service,” according to the site. “Several rank as the most hated companies in America. Now, they’re attacking the Internet – their one competitor and our only refuge – with plans to charge Web sites arbitrary fees and slow (to a crawl) any sites that won’t pay up. If they win, the Internet dies.”
Activists are appealing to Web administrators to stand up in the fight by covering the Web with symbolic “loading” icons, to remind everyone what an Internet without net neutrality would look like.
The day chosen for the protest is 10 September.
Although the “loading” symbol won’t actually slow sites down, they are designed to promote a call to action and get users to raise the issue.