I realize I’m taking a step back from the education issue, and many other important issues (like the immigrant walk-out, today). It’s for a good reason, though.

For starters, do you know how net neutrality will affect you? Let’s begin:

Google users—Another search engine could pay dominant Internet providers like AT&T to guarantee the competing search engine opens faster than Google on your computer.

Innovators with the “next big idea”—Startups and entrepreneurs will be muscled out of the marketplace by big corporations that pay Internet providers for dominant placing on the Web. The little guy will be left in the “slow lane” with inferior Internet service, unable to compete.

Ipod listeners—A company like Comcast could slow access to iTunes, steering you to a higher-priced music service that it owned.

But wait, there’s more…

Nonprofits—A charity’s website could open at snail-speed, and online contributions could grind to a halt, if nonprofits can’t pay dominant Internet providers for access to “the fast lane” of Internet service.

Small businesses and tele-commuters—When Internet companies like AT&T favor their own services, you won’t be able to choose more affordable providers for online video, teleconferencing, Internet phone calls, and software that connects your home computer to your office.

Bloggers—Costs will skyrocket to post and share video and audio clips—silencing citizen journalists and putting more power in the hands of a few corporate-owned media outlets.

These are just a HANDFUL of the ways non-neutrality could affect you. Here are ways it already has:

• In 2004, North Carolina ISP Madison River blocked their DSL customers from using any rival Web-based phone service.
• In April, Time Warner’s AOL blocked all emails that mentioned www.dearaol.com — an advocacy campaign opposing the company’s pay-to-send e-mail scheme.

For more information about how network neutrality will affect you, please visit this page.

Want some more interesting links?

• Actress Alyssa Milano blogs about Internet freedom
• The Save The Internet Blog
• and most importantly, CALL YOUR CONGRESSPERSON

Pay attention to this, people, or you might find yourself with an Internet in the future.