Cory Doctorow: We must ensure ISPs don't stop the next Google getting out of the garage | Technology | guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/may/19/we-must-ensure-google-garage

Technology | guardian.co.uk

If politicians want to effect economic recovery, national competitiveness, good public health and high civic engagement, they have a duty to keep the internet free and open. But politicians around the world seem willing to sacrifice their national interest to keep a few powerful phone and telcoms companies happy. this is like the phone company putting you on hold when your ring your local pizzeria, with a message inviting you to press one to be immediately connected to Domino's, its "preferred pizza partner".

Metering usage discourages experimentation. If you don't know whether your next click will cost you 10p or £2, you will become very conservative about your clicks. Just look at the old AOL, which charged by the minute for access...... Digital rights, digital wrongs index

Doctorow says the EU Telecoms reform package paves the way for ISPs and quangoes to block or slow access to websites and services on an arbitrary basis. Here's me thinking that one of the new rules is for authorities to set quality levels as as to promote net neutrality

Cory Doctorow: Allowing ISPs to have too much would drastically hinder the chances of fresh new startups developing into major businesses – as happened with Google