[governance] Net neutrality: Definitions

[Karl Auerbach]

On 08/17/2010 08:38 PM, Tapani Tarvainen wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 03:02:30PM -0700, Karl Auerbach (karl at cavebear.com) wrot

>> The intrusion on personal choice that you are suggesting is, at
>> least to ears of this Californian, rather draconian and contrary to
>> the concept of freedom of association (an aspect of free speech
>> which is to say the right to not speak to those to whom you do not
>> wish to speak.)
>
> In most of Europe (and indeed most of the world, I believe), freedom
> of speech is rather heavily limited when it comes to commercial activity.

The carriage of packets over a part of the internet is not speech, it is 
a service.  That's why ISP is an acronym for  "internet *service* provider".

The speech component (do we consider things like backing up files to be 
speech?) is by the users, not the service providers.

So the question is not about freedom of speech but about whether 
providers of a service have to give free service to any and all comers.

		--karl--



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