I’m going to be brief as I am wrapped up in a few other matters but people need to listen up, please. Let’s define a few things quickly. The Internet is a network of computers and servers not a right you have. These servers are owned by private companies. You sign up by making a choice, best product/service for the best price you can find. In signing up you are a customer. You are exchanging cash for a product. You are now granted access to use a company’s services. Simple. Next.

Companies compete for your business. Prices fluctuate and new technology is constantly being developed to ensure you don’t take your business elsewhere. Company A wants you as a customer as much as Company B does. If company B finds a way to offer a better product for a better price they can entice you to switch service. Simple right? Next.

Competition is the life blood of any market. It is what allows for these developments. A company wants to make money, that’s the bottom line. This is all smooth and nice until big government sticks its nose in the business and prevents this from happening. Such is the case for the Internet. Let me explain.

Everyone is fearful that their ISP (Internet Service Provider) will come up with some sort of pricing structure that will block certain content unless a fee is paid. If you own the “Basic Internet Package” you might only be allowed to see approved websites 1-100. If there is a site not in that package you can’t view it. Likewise they may begin to charge for amounts of usage. Bandwidth caps and so on. Company A does this because they feel a pricing structure would increase profits and allow for more servers to be used more efficiently.

Company B does not feel this way. They feel if they increase the price all around for their service they will let you browse and do what you want. They have been offered big money by other private companies to block competition. TV Network XYZ offered a handsome reward if they blocked access to TV Network XYX. Company B decided against it as they felt it would only drive customers away to Company C. In this situation guess who will retain their current customer base, as well as bring on people who are fed up with Company A? That’s right, good ol’ company B!

You see market competition leaves room for new business and business models that respect the demands of the consumer. This is ideal! However we forgot about big government. You see people get scared and they assume government can protect them from bad business. They are wrong. Government is the threat to good business and the savior to bad business. Let’s look at energy companies. When was the last time you moved somewhere and sat down to compare different energy company prices? If you can’t remember it’s because you never did. Government indirectly grants monopolies to energy companies by area. They get kick backs and this means you either sign up and pay or go without power. No competition allowed! (There are other alternatives but these alternatives are not possible for everyone. Ie. solar, wind, etc)

So what does this say about the Internet? Well if government blocks private ISP’s from doing whatever it is they want to do, government will effectively destroy competition in the market. Government will have a say over which content is visible. Government will decide what fair prices are and what “fair use” is. Truly frightening. Today the new FCC rules call for a prohibition on “unreasonable discrimination” by Internet Service Providers, with the FCC’s regulators in charge of determining what counts as unreasonable. So one body of people who probably have no greater understanding of the Internet are going to decide how we can use our Internet. Sweet..

What about more regulation on what you can and can’t see? Not yet, but soon I promise. You see if we eliminate competition then if you don’t like how Company A is acting you have no choice to goto Company B because the government has regulated the internet. Company B will operate just like Company A. Site X is blocked because the government said so, not because Company A said so. FCC in control and these ISPs are nothing more than a subsidized government program that receives favor over another. This is called corporatism. The destruction of the free market.

We need the Internet, it is not a right of ours though. We are not entitled to another person’s labor. The Internet can’t be a right, it is a service and we must exchange currency for services. We need to have the right to choose if we aren’t happy as customers. If the government passes a “net neutrality” bill then you will lose. You will have no choice and be forced to accept whatever is given to you. I urge anyone who thinks they are doing the right thing by punishing big business for attempting to try an alternative structure to please consider the information above. Right now you can switch to a new company! New companies can start and offer newer and better service in the name of profits and customer service! You have options! If the government bans this then you will not. You will lose. We all lose. The government will be the only option.