This problem is a result of recent bills passed by Congress which erode the core principal of net neutrality, the Internet’s equivalent of the First Amendment. In May 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Telecommunication Bill H R 5252 to help large Internet providers regulate the speed at which web sites load, depending on the money they receive from them, according to the Library of Congress Web site (www.thomas.loc.gov).

In June, the Senate Commerce Committee passed Telecommunication Bill S 2686. This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934, which protects the privacy of individuals who use wire communication. If Congress keeps pushing these laws, it will essentially get rid of the Internet’s First Amendment rights — network neutrality.

Network neutrality is a principle that prevents Internet providers such as AT&T and Verizon from restricting net access. In other words, because of net neutrality, these large Internet corporations cannot influence what and how you view information. Without it, the companies can choose how fast a certain site loads, or if it loads at all, based on how much money the Web site pays them. HR 5252 and S2686 encourage advertising opportunities and discourage this essential neutrality. Without network neutrality people no longer have control over their browsing. Viewers could be driven to a site different from the one they were originally seeking. Competing Web sites could gain advantage over others by essentially bridging service providers.

A loss of net neutrality could lead to extreme restriction of the Internet. In allowing economic censorship, Congress is essentially favoring big businesses over protecting the rights of the people.