I know it sounds boring, but if you’re on the net (and I know you are because you’re reading this) you need to care. Many times I’ve written about net neutrality, posted about it on Facebook, replied with links, etc. For a while it seems to be solved, or at least the issues have reached some sort of a compromise.
Then it comes up again, and I find myself looking for that link to the good article that I sent a few day, weeks or years ago. Is it in the links that I saved in a file on my computer (so I could find them easier)? Is it in an email? In OneTab? In a post, a Saved Article, a Reply or any of the other places that Facebook makes things difficult to find?
It’s time to put some of my favorites where everyone can find them, because I’m tired of looking for them (yet again). There is a lot of variety, so pick whatever suits your style of learning.
- Don’t have a lot of time, but like to be entertained? Then The Oatmeal’s Dear Senator Ted Cruz, I’m going to explain to you how Net Neutrality ACTUALLY works is what you want. (http://theoatmeal.com/blog/net_neutrality)
- Do have a lot of time, but like to be entertained? John Oliver has nailed how to explain Net Neutrality twice. They’re both wonderful and amazingly informative:
- The future of the open internet — and our way of life — is in your hands is a long but easy read on how the web works. It explains how information flow was monopolized long ago by telegraph companies, and it’s happening again. (https://medium.freecodecamp.com/inside-the-invisible-war-for-the-open-internet-dd31a29a3f08)
- If you prefer a podcast to reading, this link https://overcast.fm/+IpHcU2rxg/41:10 takes you to a point in a podcast where Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu, the creator of the term “Net Neutrality”, describes what it is and why you should care.
I learned that it was actually Bush that got the neutrality ball rolling. - If you don’t know why losing net neutrality would probably affect you, watch this video: Why Net Neutrality Matters (And What You Can Do To Help). It’s a 2014 high energy delivery from the Adam Ruins Everything guy. If you already understand why, you’ve probably got more important things to do with your four minutes. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjOxNiHUsZw)
- Senate Puts ISP Profits Over Your Privacy is an expired “action” by the EFF. The link is here because the EFF has been writing about these issues for many years, and after the action are links to as many articles as you have time for, and more! They also have a summary page with similar links.
- On October 15, 2011 I posted on Facebook when I first heard about
https://www.savetheinternet.com/ More than 5 years later, the fight goes on. Lots of resources are linked. What led up to the current fight is shown on their timeline.
This Facebook items are separate since some people don’t (or won’t) have it. And because people don’t like long lists.
- Part 2: Why we care about Net Neutrality is my introduction to the freecodecamp “The future…” article, above.
- March, 2015, Senator Takano takes a red pen to Marco Rubio’s op-ed on Net Neutrality. A former high school English teacher, Takano gave the op-ed an “F” and urged Senator Rubio to do more research on the topic. “I only break out the red pen on special occasions. So when I saw Marco Rubio’s recent op-ed on Net Neutrality, you know I couldn’t resist. It is intentionally misleading, poorly researched, and littered with errors.” Short, informative and funny. (https://www.facebook.com/RepMarkTakano/photos/a.265096313619446.62249.262447300551014/649787601816980/)
That should take care of it for the next year or so.
