Is the dream of a democratic internet finally over?

[Iain S Bruce]

As I report today, some analysts fear that the explosion of video and voice communication online is driving up the demand for bandwidth so rapidly that some Internet hubs are in danger of being overwhelmed. At the very least, many commentators fear that with millions of users visiting sites like YouTube every day, 2007 could be the year that the web slows down to a crawl.

The idea that companies and individuals should be able to pay for priority access to the world's greatest resource is a controversial one, but many would argue that it is already common practice. From forking out for an upgraded 28.8k modem to paying extra for that 10MB broadband service, users have always paid for improved net services and that situation is unlikely to ever change.

Is the Net Neutrality debate dead in the water? The egalitarian dream of a free and equal web for all was a good one, but given the economic importance the medium now has, isn't it just a little naive?

Iain S Bruce, Technology Editor

[sundays900]

I dont think so, lets see what happen in future.
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[hronstve]

Technology had become the barrier of communication nowadays. Almost all of the people had been aware of that. That is why, online communication had been popular. Let's see what will happen in technology for the next years.

[anthonyroach654]

Well, we really don't know what will happen in the future let's just wait and see.
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[irylle12]

Indeed, everything is unpredictable. Lets just wait what would happen.
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