This evening on C-SPAN, I watched a debate about globalization with Tom Friedman and Joseph Stiglitz, moderated by Ted Koppel.
During the conversation, Friedman mentioned briefly about the power that (some) people have to make a difference in the world today, using new media tools like blogging and podcasting to communicate their ideas and culture, on the web.
Freidman said he recently had a conversation with someone in India who called this communicative process the “globalization of the local”. Meaning that anyone, anywhere in the world who had access to and education about using these tools could participate in this process. He mentioned that this is going to have a very powerful impact on the world.
I feel very fortunate to be apart of this growing number of people around the world who have access to, are educated about, and have the ability to use the web in this way, to communicate their own ideas, through their own lives, through their own culture–joining conversations with others around the world who also enjoy access to these same conversations and opportunities they may provide, as a result.
The problem however is that, here in the U.S., it looks like we may soon find ourselves with a more closed Internet–disconnecting us (those who have access to and education about these tools and resources) from the same ability to share, discuss, contribute, innovate, or compete on the Internet that those of us with this privilege enjoy today.
Behind the problem
Last week, the U.S. Congress shot down a “Network Neutrality” amendment offered by Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) to a bill (HR. 5252) that passed overwhelmingly in the House. If the Senate agrees with the House, and the President signs the bill into law without any “net neutrality” protections, U.S. consumers and citizens may soon find themselves with considerably less choice and opportunity to innovate, compete, and communicate on the world wide web. The result would have a devastating impact on the ability for all Americans to be apart of a world that is supposedly becoming “more flat.”
Without these “net neutrality” protections, that would ensure that people in the U.S. could continue to freely access any content or applications of their choice on the web and devices connected to it, I am greatly concerned about the ability for us (those of us who enjoy the privilege of access and education) to be able to continue to participate freely in and be apart of our new “connected” global culture and society.
Share This
On Monday, February 25 the Berkman Center for Internet & Society is hosting a one-day FCC Hearing on the future of broadband network management practices. 
