Anti-P2P: Opposing Certified Email projects
We received this email of the RiseUp email service, in opposting to the two-speed internet that would result from paid-for email services such as the ones planned by AOL and Yahoo: AOL is adopting a system called CertifiedEmail, which is a threat to a free and open Internet. The list that you have with Riseup likely has a number of AOL email addresses subscribed to it. Please consider encouraging your group to sign-on to this broad coalition that is fighting this. It is clear that if the AOL email tax is not fought, AOL will make it incredibly difficult to deliver your list email to your subscribers. We know that your list is critical for your organizing efforts, but AOL is trying to reduce the effectiveness of your work by creating a system where reliable email only is provided to those who can afford to pay for every email sent. Their system is harmful to free speech, and it is designed to extort money from senders in exchange for privileged service. AOL wants us to pay an email tax to get guaranteed delivery, and if we don’t pay, then delivery to AOL addresses will increasingly be undelivered. By creating one class of Internet users who pay for guaranteed email delivery, AOL will leave everyone else (thats us) as a second-class citizen on the Internet. AOL’s email tax creates an unlevel playing field online and as a result your online organizing will suffer unless we stop it together. Those who can afford to pay for preferential service will leave behind those of us who cannot, resulting in unreliable email delivery. Please help us save the free and open Internet by growing our coalition. Please reach out to organizations you are a part of. We can’t afford this, nor can you, please encourage your group to sign-on to this broad coalition: www.dearaol.com/joinorg.html Individuals can sign-on here: www.dearaol.com
