Internet Wars -- Episode Two: Attack of the Paid-For Industry Shills

Posted by Mitchell - September 28, 2006 (entry 435)

Two months ago, the struggle to prevent the internet's impending slide into the Hellmouth seemed hopeless. Now, the landscape has changed dramatically for the better. And it has forced the opposition to reach into its bag of dirty tricks:

* Suing practically every Chicago suburb for, you know, being concerned about local media, which has evoked a, um, rather touchy response from the National League of Cities (Hey, Ed Whitacre smells funny. There, can AT&T sue me now?)

* Setting up transparently false, faux grassroots organizations which are paid shills for the telcos

* Devising false cartoons to distract people from the real issues -- hey kind of like some other instances of cartoons used for political ends

* Threatening the financial industry with insecure networks if neutrality provisions pass. (That's too wack for words. That's like saying: "Hey, you have a rash on your hand? Let's cure it by cutting off your arm.")

But, what's encouraging is that people are fighting back:

* Some 600 Michigan communities tell AT&T: to deal with us local franchise agreements and compete for cable TV customers

* The House and Senate Judiciary committees want a piece of the telecom action, and would slow the fast track down, to the public's benefit, if they get what they want.

* The SaveTheInternet coalition, of which CMA is a charter member, reports a growing and bipartisan movement, with echoes of our victorious FCC fight three years ago.

* And of course, there's my vote for the funniest internet video ever made.

Oh, and there's this wee series of protests next week.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on this website are those of the individual members of Chicago Media Action who authored them, and not necessarily those of the entire membership of Chicago Media Action, nor of Chicago Media Action as an organization.

FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.