I wish my ed tech colleagues would expand their scope of awareness. Attempts to determine the 10 most useful tools for teachers or which of 10 spelling apps is the best needs to be expanded to include an awareness of Internet and political issues. The opportunity to engage students at school and at home will depend on cost effective access. First it was the legal decision exempting Verizon from net neutrality and now the proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner again with net neutrality implications.
Because we cannot rely on competition to identify which company is most responsive to users (how many options do you have for decent Internet access), this is one of those situations in which we must depend on government oversight to guard against monopolistic practices.
Sen. Franken is one voice raising concerns with the FCC over Internet issues. I sent $4 to Sen. Franken last year when he was addressing a net neutrality issue. I now continue to receive requests for money. I am not from MN and the notion that issues are decided based on the amount of money various representatives can generate is disturbing. I know this is a bit naive. Om Malik argues that these issues are being determined by the money available from lobbyists. A very disturbing situation and exactly the problem Lawrence Lessig describes in his book – Republic Lost
TWiT-TV discussion of Comcast/Time Warner merger
