The AOL – Time Warner merger is about to be approved by the FCC –
BUT – the FCC WILL REQUIRE SOME CONDITIONS! That is Definite!
Will the conditions protect ONLY THE CORPORATIONS or will they
also protect YOU the END USER?
At this point a very small effort on your part can well induce
the FCC to REQUIRE OPEN ACCESS – I.E. NO CENSORSHIP – for the
end user – YOU – as well as outlaw speed capping for people that
upload to USENET or IRC.
PLEASE HELP PROTECT IRC and USENET! SEND THIS LETTER TO THE FCC!
—-> This is NOT and EMAIL which will be ignored! <—-
This response by you will be an OFFICIAL FILING! It will appear in
the OFFICIAL PROCEEDING as a comment read by ALL THE ATTORNEYS who
are participating in the action, as well as ALL THE FCC COMMISSIONERS!
It will remain there FOREVER as part of the OFFICIAL RECORD of the
AOL – Time Warner merger! With YOUR name on it!
The FCC is on the verge of requiring the protections this letter
asks for. Your letter might PUSH THEM OVER THE EDGE and make the
internet a BETTER PLACE for EVERYONE, INCLUDING YOU!
MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO USENET AND IRC! This letter WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
if there are enough of them received by the FCC. If at least 300
letters are received, we can probably count on the FCC to take decisive
action to prohibit both censorship and speed capping.
1. Copy the letter to a file. You can put it on your letterhead
with MS Word or just use a text file. You can make any change to
the letter you want, or add any comment you have. CHANGES ARE GOOD!
They show you READ THE LETTER and REALLY CARE! If you had a bad
experience with AOL or Time Warner PUT IT IN!
2. go to:
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.hts
(This is the official FCC page where electronic filing of petitions
is accomplished)
3. Fill out form
Put your name, Address, Email address, and all other required
information on the form. (Remember this is an OFFICIAL FILING so
the FCC requires this information. It is not published unless you
put it in the letter as well as the form)
Proceeding is
00-30
(this is VERY IMPORTANT, it is the case number of the AOL TIME
WARNER APPLICATION for merger. If you get it wrong, your comment
WILL NOT BE FILED!)
4. Send form.
5. After you send the form, THEN select the filename of the
letter you are sending, and send that.
6. After you send the file, you will receive an official
confirmation of the filing from the FCC.
7. Comment will appear for all to read in about 4 hours
(but won’t appear on the weekend.)
8. If you want to see your letter, or read the other submissions,
other letters, the AOL petition, the Disney or Consumer’s Union
objections, etc, here is the URL – Its long!
https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.hts?ws_…
***>Remember the FORM INFORMATION will NOT appear, only the letter.
IF YOU LIVE N A FOREGN COUNTRY and wish to make a comment (This is a
world wide problem) the Cover Sheet will not accept your address. You
can do this: Enter your real name and address including country in
the address lines, but in the STATE box put CA and in the ZIP (first
field) put 90001. Ignore the 2nd zip field. Ignore the 2nd form, and
TYPE your SHORT COMMENT in the 3rd form. Please identify the country
you live in the message. Don’t use the sample letter supplied
because it isn’t appropriate for non-US residents.
NOTE: There is NO WORD WRAPPING on the letter below, to make it
easy for you to format so it may be hard to read until you copy it,
depending on your news reader.
NOTICE!
Would you like to help keep the internet free? Then do one or both
of the following:
1. Copy this message and post it to 3 newsgroups where it does not
appear!
2. Send this message by EMAIL to 5 friends!
The future of USENET and IRC depends on the FCC forcing all ISP’s
starting with Time Warner and AOL to recognize free speech and fair
marketing practices. PLEASE HELP!
SAMPLE MESSAGE
————cut here———————————————-
To the FCC Commissioners
Gentlemen and Ladies:
The Internet is in mortal danger, and you will make the decision on whether it lives or dies as we know it today.
From the time it was invented, the internet has been a medium of public exchange of information. Often this information has been useful in daily living, sometimes it has been controversial, occasionally it has been offensive to someone. But I have had the freedom to post it without fear of being excluded from the internet.
I no longer have that right if I wish to have high-speed access. There is no effective high-speed access except Time Warner. Time Warner adds this clause to its acceptable use policy:
TIME WARNER COMMUNICATIONS SHALL HAVE THE SOLE AND UNREVIEWABLE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHETHER CONTENT VIOLATES THESE STANDARDS.
The "standards" are such that absolutely anything I post could be considered to violate them.
Even if I do not violate these standards, if I purchase "unlimited access" as soon as I try to use it, I am either speed-capped or terminated. The acceptable use policy states:
IF TIME WARNER DETERMINES THAT THE SUBSCRIBER HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE SERVICE’S STANDARDS OF CONDUCT OR LIMITS ON BANDWIDTH UTILIZATION, TIME WARNER MAY SUSPEND SUBSCRIBER’S ACCOUNT.
It appears that Time Warner wants only customers who do not upload any comments and who use the service merely to purchase additional services. As I have been using the internet for quite a long time to communicate, not spend money with Time Warner, Time Warner doesn’t want me.
It appears that you will approve the AOL Time Warner merger in some manner. If you do not act to require the merged company to return to the basic principles of freedom of speech, there will be no hope for people like me who want to communicate, not purchase more Bugs Bunny cartoons. The new company will totally control high-speed access. People like me will not be allowed on the internet through the new company.
It seems that you will establish some protection for the large corporations. Will you protect me too?
The internet is a creation of America, and shows the world the power of freedom. It will be a sad commentary if the country which created freedom kills the most powerful voice for freedom now existing in the world. It will be a reflection on our country if all citizens of the world have freedom of speech on the internet, except American citizens.
As the internet was designed for the citizens, not the corporations, I sincerely hope you consider me when you make your decision. If you do not, I believe that the result will be the death of the internet as a powerful force for freedom in general, and freedom of speech in particular.
xpqzgrefucmdnrnsvkjerqtytcjlmuvlopohjobzcyksreflmdixmylxsrhrvipodfcy