Net Neutrality lost an important battle

上次在Death of the Internet里提到美国国内当前关于Net Neutrality的讨论。

上周四 （6月8日），美国众议院否据了关于Net Neutrality的修正案。这个修正案尽管得到了民主党的努力推动，得到了诸如Google, Ebay等大公司的支持，结果还是不敌telephone, cable companies的长期游说。

一直致力于推动Net neutrality的Savetheinternet发表了House Ignores Public, Sells Out the Internet的帖子，失望之余，开始寄希望于参议院能通过Internet Freedom Preservation Act of 2006。（不太明白参众两院是咋工作的，//blush)

网上普遍表示了失望之情，随便摘一段：

Clearly they do not seem to understand that the internet is the greatest collaborative masterpiece ever given to the world by humans. it is the largest library of every culture’s arts and sciences; the biggest market for free enterprise offering anyone a chance to sell their wares; and perhaps most important to a people who say they want to spread democracy to all people, the internet offers the greatest form of free speech created since the printing press. It is one of the wonders of the modern world and has the potential to bring the planet together to create peace, prosperity and beauty.

How can we allow a few companies, with the corporate tunnel vision of quick profits for a few, stifle this unprecedented creation for future generations?

            — from user comments of savetheinternet.com

ISP们长期雇佣说客到国会进行的游说，终于起到了作用，众议院忽视了到处都充满着的反对的声音。（说个题外的：这个例子，提供给我们一个理解美国国会长期支持台湾的原因，正是因为台湾政府也是这样长期出钱让说客在美国国会反复的游说。）如果说在中国，政府的意志导致了GFW这样的怪胎出现，在美国，则是资本的力量驱动着国家的运作。

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