This Is What Bugs Me About This Whole Net Neutrality Thing

Seems like the discussion over "Net Neutrality" is everywhere these days. In a classic example of "Let's Fix What's Not Broken," both the government and cable companies have been raging battles over the internet – you've probably heard arguments that talk about "fast lanes" and priorities for internet content providers that pay some premium fee for faster broadband connection.

I'll be honest – I'm not 100% sure where I come down on this issue. On the one hand, I don't want Comcast or Verizon or anybody else charging exorbitant fees in order to get a decent internet connection. And I don't want to have to contend with insanely slow internet just because that's all I can afford (having slow internet is worse than having no internet – you may have experienced this on occasion). On the other hand, making sure the cable companies don't screw around with internet speeds means that the government is going to get involved. And we ALL know how THAT turns out –

Basically, the internet is screwed if we do, and screwed if we don't. At least, that's how it's looking from my vantage point. I know Mock's covered this previously (you can read that post here), but with it being back in the news, it's worth being discussed again. The difference this time, however, is that the government DOES have a plan in writing that they're not releasing to the public. And after the whole health care debacle (which is referenced in the above video), I don't have much faith in that system (scratch that, I don't have ANY faith in it WHATSOEVER).

However, I did find these comments from Mark Cuban fascinating. Cuban is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and a fairly successful (and outspoken) entrepreneur in his own right and he says some interesting things about this issue. He says (and I agree with him) that government involvement in the internet would kill innovation, which has been the hallmark of the internet since its inception – 

The idea that the federal government should apply firm and fast "neutrality" rules to the Internet is, arguably, quickly becoming conventional wisdom. And there's nothing that Cuban dislikes more than untested conventional wisdom. We owe it to the Internet, he argues, to ask the hard questions now.

But what do you think about all this? With the February 26 deadline to voice your stance on this with the FCC coming up quick, I really want to figure out what the best thing to do in all of this. And that means hearing from all sides. So – discuss.