Always a good question, lets see what the big guns have to say on the matter.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080617-internet-workers-unite-eff-unions-call-for-net-neutrality-open-access.htmlThis week, Seoul has been playing host to a meeting of ministers from the Organisation For Economic Cooperation And Development (OECD), focused on the expanding Internet economy. The meeting is serving as a chance for many groups to have their say about what they'd like to see that future look like; the Electronic Frontiers Foundation is one of the groups attending, and they've worked with the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Committee to craft a statement of principles (PDF) going by the name of the Seoul Declaration. The statement is wide-ranging, but hits many of the issues that the EFF has promoted in the past: free expression, balanced intellectual property policies, and 'Net neutrality.
The meeting agenda focuses on how the growing Internet economy can influence social and economic development. Items slated for discussion include the growth of a global online economy, how to tap into that to improve social and economic welfare, and the convergence of devices and content on the 'Net. But the conference also focuses on less well-defined issues, such as how to ensure that the new capabilities are used in ways that promote privacy, security, and consumer protection. It's also serving as a venue for exchanging ideas on how to use the Internet to foster creativity and innovation.
Plenty of buzz words abound then, but what really is required in the way of facilities for those using the web, after all we make up the silent majority who actually turn the whole place from something drab and text looking into a hive of useful information covering every sphere, well it seems the usual thing we ask for each year such as decent privacy policies and freedom to continue our creative outlets without big business demanding a share of our creative cake, I expect we will ask for the same things next year and the year after, lets hope those attending the meeting enjoyed their lunch, that is likely to be the only thing most will agree on.
