Net Neutrality in Congress

This is another seemingly technical-jargon topic which actually may greatly affect both individual experience of the Web and the situation of libraries: network neutrality. Last week the House Judiciary Committee approved H.R. 5417, Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006. Of course, this does not mean the bill will make its way through the House and Senate in reasonably intact shape, or at all. For a discussion of some of the issues see the CNet news article cited above, or at ALA.

Or revisit last winter's flap about AOL and Yahoo planning to give preference to certain bulk emailers who pay for the privilege. It looks like AOL has actually begun using the goodmail system; no sign that Yahoo followed through yet. No reason to think they won't.