A Bill of Rights for Internet Access Providers?

If it does what is described and actually prevents interference with freedom to say and write what you want on the internet, with the exception of pornography and things you cannot do legally anywhere, then it may be a good bill. Just the fact that it is being introduced by a Democrat from Mass. makes me suspicious of it. His party is the one which normally insists on political correctness and which blocks any speech they disagree with. They talk one way, but operate another way. This may resemble an Equal Time law where the carriers are forced to balance opinions by blocking one side in the absence of the opposition. I would read it very carefully before accepting it.

any Democrat from Mass. makes me sick as hell.

Actually some of the communications the ISP's are blocking is the downloading of large files [movies, music].

Shouldn't block files due to size, that is just information,

Bandwidth costs money!

You also get into issues copyright infringement.

Didn't say they couldn't charge to cover costs and copyrights have nothing to do with the company transmitting a signal. If I copy a copyrighted book and send it UPS to someone for money, it is not the maker of the copier who can be sued, nor UPS, but I can be sued and perhaps the person receiving the copy. The providers should not block information from being sent unless the content is illegal and then it can go to the courts to decide.

If I make my own 2 hour documentary movie and wish to transmit it freely for my own purposes, then I should only have to pay the costs of the transmission. Blocking me would interfere with free speech, free press and would be un-American. Being unable to tranmit the signal for technical reasons is another thing entirely.

Agreed,

End-users should be able to use whatever filters they feel necessary. Should we hold it against Google if they allow china to block sites?

In the US should the government have any part determining the acceceptability of content? how about ISP's?

I say no!

Anything illegal can bring legal action against the sender & receiver, there's no reason to have regulation the transmission of content.

The patriot act is a power grab by the right, who supposedly favors smaller government!

Welcome to CR4 Taganan, I look forward to more of your posts!