Bram Cohen on Net Neutrality.

Any geek worth their salt knows the name of Bram Cohen, the brilliant mind behind BitTorrent. The BBC has just done an interview during which Cohen has come out against the concept of network neutrality. I'm still processing the implications of his argument. This man (who happens to be a rare autistic genius) has a serious talent for infrastructure design. If he says net neutrality is the next logical step, then maybe there's something I'm missing.

Network neutrality has become a hot issue in Washington of late, with several bills moving through the House right now (see this earlier post). The issue is becoming more, not less complicated, and I'm starting to become uncertain as to whose side I'm really on in this issue. I'm pretty certain now that the current network neutral structure of the internet will eventually give way to something different, but what form the new net takes is as yet unclear.

More Good News.

The debate over net-neutrality rages on, but a minor victory in the house today gives some hope that we'll see some progress soon.

Repeat after me:

iPod Evil. Mp3 Good.

iPod Evil. Mp3 Good.

iPod Evil. Mp3 Good.

Here's the reason why.

Leakage.

Wired News has published documents disclosing the nature of the agreement between the NSA and AT&T. At the same time, one U.S. Attorney now claims that the publication of leaks by the U.S. Press is a federal crime. This is bullshit.

Thanks to tepid for this one.

Pearl Jam CC Video.

Pearl Jam has just released a video, their first in years, under the Creative Commons license. This is a pretty nifty step toward the legitimizing of a truly revolutionary legal structure.

The White Knights of Network Neutrality.

Several large hardware makers have rejected the idea of a tiered internet. Finally we have some weighty support for continued freedom on the internet.

Whoa.

This is scary.

Communist Ideals vs. Religion: A Standoff in China.

The New York Times today published an article concerning the fallout of a public dispute between China's ruling Communist Party and the Vatican. This is a very interesting peek at how the Chinese government treats the subject of religious freedom.

In the words of Eric Idle...

The nation reports that the major Telcoms and the Federal Communications Commission are working very hard to put an end to the free internet. In fact, they have a plan.

Occasionally, I find that I am angered by things that I see in the news... Mass genocide, pointless war, corporate influence, censorship and removal of freedom rank pretty high on the list of things that make me mad. Of all of these things, however, I think this is the one that fucking pisses me off the most. I am reminded of a song, written by former Monty Python troop member Eric Idle, entitled: "FCC Song". Give a listen.

Network Neutrality.

So, what's the big deal about network neutrality? Slate has a good article about the debate over network neutrality and its importance to the future of the internet. For the most concise and clearly reasoned examination I've seen on the subject, check out the works of Lawrence Lessig, a lawyer and full time lobbyist for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. In particular, his book 'Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace' is a critical examination of current American internet regulation (though it is a few years out of date now).

Lessig also has a lot to say on the subject of copyright law in his book 'The Future of Ideas', and has done some really creative things with it, under the auspices of his Creative Commons program. Lessig and his friends are very intelligent people who are currently fighting a losing war against a culture which cultivates ignorance as virtue.

Inevitable? Perhaps. Depressing? Definitely.

The news that the Senate is imposing serious restrictions to impinge upon the nature of the internet caught my attention today. Apparently, the Senate sees the internet as a machination of communist thought. The end of freedom of information is nigh.