Google Goes Evil

Net neutrality is effectively dead as Google and Verizon sign the first major internet "pay for access" deal for net traffic.  HuffPo's Josh Silver has the post-mortem of the internet you knew and what it means.

The deal marks the beginning of the end of the Internet as you know it. Since its beginnings, the Net was a level playing field that allowed all content to move at the same speed, whether it's ABC News or your uncle's video blog. That's all about to change, and the result couldn't be more bleak for the future of the Internet, for television, radio and independent voices.

How did this happen? We have a Federal Communications Commission that has been denied authority by the courts to police the activities of Internet service providers like Verizon and Comcast. All because of a bad decision by the Bush-era FCC. We have a pro-industry FCC Chairman who is terrified of making a decision, conducting back room dealmaking, and willing to sit on his hands rather than reassert his agency's authority. We have a president who promised to "take a back seat to no one on Net Neutrality" yet remains silent. We have a congress that is nearly completely captured by industry. Yes, more than half of the US congress will do pretty much whatever the phone and cable companies ask them to. Add the clout of Google, and you have near-complete control of Capitol Hill.

A non-neutral Internet means that companies like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and Google can turn the Net into cable TV and pick winners and losers online. A problem just for Internet geeks? You wish. All video, radio, phone and other services will soon be delivered through an Internet connection. Ending Net Neutrality would end the revolutionary potential that any website can act as a television or radio network. It would spell the end of our opportunity to wrest access and distribution of media content away from the handful of massive media corporations that currently control the television and radio dial.

So the Google-Verizon deal can be summed up as this: "FCC, you have no authority over us and you're not going to do anything about it. Congress, we own you, and we'll get whatever legislation we want. And American people, you can't stop us."

And now this means Google traffic gets preferential treatment on Verizon's networks at the expense of everything else.  Internet carriers will of course want to see everyone pay for this, including you.  Not rich enough to afford a Google-sized deal?  Sorry, your network traffic will take a back seat to those who can pay.  And guess who's going to get charged fees to cover these content deals?

What, you thought Google was going to remain free?  The era of free content on the internet just ended.  the era of pay for play is here.  Expect deals like this to explode in the months to come.  Don't have the cash to pay Verizon or AT&T for premium traffic service?  Your web site is going nowhere.

Expect your internet provider to start hitting you up for "premium services" soon.

[UPDATE]  On Twitter, Google's public policy blog says they have not reached a deal with Verizon, and that the NY Times article that began all this is "wrong".

Interesting.