Open Internet Advocates Dismayed With Google

Wired's Ryan Singel posted a scathing attack on Google's latest negotiation with Verizon today, calling them "a carrier-humping, net neutrality surrender monkey." The long-time tech reporter (and a good friend of this writer) does a particularly good job showing how Google's attitude toward net neutrality has changed over the years. That is to say, he remembers what Google said in 2007, and it's not what they are saying now.

Google defends its reversal, saying through a spokeswoman: "We have taken a backseat to no one in our support for an open Internet. We offered this proposal in the spirit of compromise. Others might have done it differently, but we think locking in key enforceable protections for consumers is progress and preferable to no protection."

Compare Monday's statement to this one, from a post on Google's official blog in 2007: "The nation's spectrum airwaves are not the birthright of any one company. They are a unique and valuable public resource that belong to all Americans. The FCC's auction rules are designed to allow U.S. consumers -- for the first time -- to use their handsets with any network they desire, and download and use the lawful software applications of their choice."

Read the full story at Wired.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2010/08/open-internet-advocates-dismayed-with-google/61278/