Why I Created TheOpenInter.net

By Michael Ciarlo

For over a decade the Internet has been my playground. I've joined hundreds of communities, browsed an infinite number of websites, and enjoyed hours upon hours of music and video. In this time I’ve also used a number of devices to access the web, including my laptop, smartphone, and game console. My XBOX 360 in particular has not only become my go-to box for Internet gaming, but also for streaming movies, television, and music.

In November my console was updated to include ESPN3. To my surprise, much of the content was unavailable, despite being an XBOX Live customer with a broadband Internet connection. As it turns out, Time Warner Cable had disabled much of my access to this feature, on a device purchased independently of their services, because I didn’t pay for a cable package that included ESPN3. I was angered and frustrated that my ISP had blocked features of a product they did not sell or control.

Around the same time, a new gadget called the Fascinate was released - a smartphone running Google’s open Android platform. The reviews came in and everyone was shocked to find that Verizon had locked the search engine to Bing, with no way to change it. Anyone who bought a Fascinate could search Google with their desktop – why not their phone? For an ‘open’ platform, it was frustrating to see how much choice it gave wireless ISPs, but took away from consumers.

Now, I make a living designing and developing websites. The food on my plate depends on an open Internet, where people can access whatever they want, however they want. And I love the Internet. While it’s not without its faults, I appreciate being able to listen to music on Grooveshark, Last.fm, Pandora, or Hype Machine. But it’s not only that – I love choice. I can search with Google, Yahoo!, or Bing. I can watch videos on Hulu, YouTube, or Vimeo. I can even create a new website and become the next Twitter or Facebook. And it’s all because I pay one monthly fee for general Internet access. That’s the power of the web – information and innovation without limitation.

I created TheOpenInter.net to depict a time in the future when ISPs control the Internet and all data is not downloaded equally. While creating the site’s design, I had the idea to bundle Netflix and Hulu as a package ISPs required you to buy. Halfway through development, I questioned the reality of my portrayal. Was I too far off-base? Then to my surprise a Wired article titled “Mobile Carriers Dream of Charging per Page” showed almost the exact same scenario. While there is no documentation within the article to prove wireless carriers have any current plans to implement a similar pricing structure, the fact that evidence exists to suggest its consideration is frightening.

So, why is network neutrality important? Why should ISPs treat all data the same? The web, more significantly the wireless web, is the next great frontier. If you think that an Internet service provider would never block access to Netflix, or remove Google Maps from your phone if it meant a higher monthly payment, then you live in a fantasy world. They’ve been testing the waters for years.

Think about this: back in 2003, I never thought my bank would carelessly manage their assets and put our economy at risk. But I guess we couldn’t have seen that coming, right?

Also published on the Arc90 Blog »