Threat to Open Internet

Project Censored 2001

by Peter Phillips and Project Censored

Seven Stories Press, 2001, paper

p110
THE THREAT TO THE NET
Source: THE PROGRESSIVE, February 2000
Author: Pat Aufderheide www.progressive.org

Broadband is not just the future of the Internet, it is the future of our communications system. Now, as cable companies are beginning to offer broadband, local governments are demanding open access: the ability to get on the broadband using any Internet Service Provider on the same terms as anyone else's. The cable companies are fighting for closed access, forcing everyone that uses their broadband service to go through their preferred Internet Service Providers.

Until the merger with Time Warner, AOL had been one of the leaders in the battle for open access. But that could now change. Time Warner, along with owning TV networks, movie studios, and more, is also the second largest cable operator in the country. With its merger to Time Warner, AOL will have to decide whether or not it is still for open access.

What AT&T does may be very important. AT&T, the country's largest cable company, is awaiting FCC approval for a merger with the country's third largest cable company, MediaOne. Once this happens, AT&T may be interested in joining forces with AOL/Time Warner down the line, placing a stranglehold on the Internet against any further competition.

Anyone running a small Internet business or a business that relies on Internet-related services (such as a content provider) would be forced to pay through the nose for broadband service or risk losing their business entirely. In addition, cable companies would be able to determine the speed at which any one of their users could operate depending on how much they are able to pay. Businesses and content providers that stand to lose the most are those without financial clout to begin with, widening the gap between the haves and the have-nots. It would also narrow the political and social information provided for free access.

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p111
AOL'S LIBERAL BLACKLIST
Source: IN THESE TIMES, May 29, 2000
Author: Kristin Kolb www.inthesetimes.com Student Researcher: Melanie Burton

America Online's (AOL) youth filters were screening out liberal sites with political content. AOL's youth filters are supposed to keep children away from pornography and violence on the inter

net, but they also seem to be designed to block out many liberal political organizations and allow conservative sites to fly through the filter with no problem. CNET News tested AOL's latest software, version 5.0, by pulling up more than 100 political sites in the "kids only" mode over a period of several days. AOL's filters for children consistently allowed the viewing of far more conservative sites such as that of the National Rifle Association, and not Democratic and liberal sites such as that of the Democratic National Committee.

CNET staff members were able to pull up conservative sites such as those of the Libertarian Party, the National Rifle Association, and a variety of gun manufacturers' sites. Sites such as those of Ralph Nader's Green Party, Ross Perot's Reform Party, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Safer Guns Now did not make it through the filter. These liberal sites produced the message "not appropriate for children" although none of the sites blocked contained depiction of nudity or even models in swimwear. Although much of this has now been corrected, it seems that AOL's intention was to keep more than just indecency away from children.

The filtering program was developed for AOL by The Learning Company, which is an educational software company owned by Mattel. The program was designed by reviewing submitted sites in order to develop a "whitelist" of sites approved for young children. AOL spokesman Rich D'Amato told CNET News that he was "unaware of any conservative bias" in the youth filters and explains that if some sites are included it is probably because someone submitted them.

Note: ProjectCensored.org used to be screened out by AOL for youth aged 15 years and under.

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