Net Neutrality Arrives in the UK

So our wonderful Minister for "Culture" Ed Vaizey has come up with the new fangled concept of charging for a higher grade of bandwidth... or a two-tier Internet as it has been tagged. Now where have I heard that before?

The real danger here is that our law makers are all literally dying in their seats. They have little or no clue what the Internet is, let alone what the concept of net neutrality is. In addition, our Internet community is just not vocal, not passionate or a combination of the two. They just won't stand up.

For what it's worth I've written to Ed, along with my local representative, however I fully expect the issue to fall of deaf ears. It's just not on our pads here as it is in America. The danger is that this just gets bundled through, and the UK becomes the first country on the planet to tear apart net neutrality.

To Rep. Ed Vaizey:

Dear Mr Vaizey,

I've been reading with interest the world you're doing against net neutrality. In the States, net neutrality has really taken centre stage, with the online community as a whole outraged over the proposals to do just as you are doing, restructuring the Internet in a commercial and self-serving way. The only real difference is that in the States, law makers are more up to date with technological advancements, coupled with the fact that the American Internet community is more vocal, meaning that it is not an issue which can be bundled through. I believe that in parliament though this could very well happen, members of the house often lack the technical knowledge to see just how damaging this would be to the Internet as a whole.

Free, unrestricted, non-capped access to the Internet is something which must be protected at all cost. Your suggestion would mean that a class based system would exist on the Internet, with the better system being available to those that could afford it. Your original proposal may not allow for this directly, but once bandwidth capping is in place, it would only be a matter of time. In essence, it would completely restructure the Internet as we know it, changing the very essence of what is has achieved since inception; the removal of class and creed. This can only be bad for the consumer, and in turn, your constituents.

I would urge you to reconsider your position, and the actions you are planning to take, unless you want to permanently damage something which is sure to be the cornerstone of our futures. You would indeed be historically remembered as such, the "culture" minister that was responsible for the sell out of the Internet.

Yours faithfully,