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Technology giants, Google and Verizon earlier this week announced a joint plan to promote what’s called “net neutrality” – the principle that ensures internet service providers cannot discriminate between different kinds of online content and applications. But the “policy framework” that the two companies have publicly offered creates a distinction between wireless and wired networks, in effect exempting wireless networks from having to adhere to net neutrality principles. With the dramatic rise in numbers of people accessing the internet through wireless devices such as mobile phones, iPads, and other wireless devices, Google and Verizon hope to create a loophole to, in essence, privatize the internet. Critics – and there are plenty – predict the eventual rise of a private internet on wireless networks that resembles cable television where consumers pay for premium content. Additionally the proposed plan offers little protection for net neutrality principles even on wired networks, where file sharing technologies like Bit Torrent would be under attack. And, companies like Verizon would decide which online applications to show preference for instead of internet users, potentially blocking the kinds of innovation that has made the internet such a powerful tool. The Federal Communications Commission or FCC, under the Google-Verizon plan, would be left essentially toothless to ensure the openness and freedom of the internet.

GUEST: Craig Aaron, Managing Director of Free Press

Find out more at www.savetheinternet.org.