Bell Wants to Choose Your Web Sites For You

Not to be too cynical, but it seems almost pointless to write a post about Bell Canada's latest bit of corporate evil. It is a company that is known, to everyone who has ever been a customer, for high prices, poor customer service and infinite b.s. hidden in the fine print. What's scarier is they seem to know that this is their reputation and they don't seem to care.

Now, in addition to overcharging you for your internet, they want to decide what you can and can't do online. If Canada had a government that actually cared about the public good, or censorship this would be illegal and if we lived in a just society Bell would be broken down into tiny pieces and sold off with the proceeds going to charity. (Seriously, not trying to sound cynical - these are just realities.)

This video will help explain the situation and what, exactly, bell is up to now.

Many of the claims in this video are supported by a CBC Marketplace video on the subject: http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/11/21/speed_bumps/.

Several calls for action have been issued since Bell announced it's new policy including this one by the Council of Canadians. You can also find more information and links by visiting this facebook group or this one. If you are unfamiliar with the general issues surrounding Net Neutrality you can find out more by reading Neturality.ca and you can keep up with the latest developments on this and other important issues related to the internet, media and free speech at michaelgeist.ca.