Who Will Fight for the Real Internet?

The Real Internet -- an Internet controlled at the edges, by its users, rather than at the center, by carriers -- is under assault as never before.

While the Netroots have created some real momentum for language protecting the edge from the center, advocates were hit hard today by the (what should have been obvious) news that hardware companies -- the Bells' suppliers -- don't like the idea.

Many net neutrality advocates insist that law is not the answer. Some look to open spectrum. Others look to something simple -- trademarks. When I wrote that no such trademark holder was available, I was told, wait a minute, what about The Internet Society.

So I asked Terry Weigler, the press aide for the society, about this.

Click for the answer:

As explained in the pages of the Internet Society web site:

http://www.isoc.org/isoc/mission/programs/

LEGAL DEFENSE OF "INTERNET:" The Internet Society is working to ensure that the term "Internet" remains generic or descriptive and cannot be trademarked. Action has been taken to protect and free the term "Internet" from commercial ownership.

This has been a major effort conducted by the Internet Society since it's earliest days in 1992.

Trouble is, if there is no trademark, there is no legal meaning to the word Internet. And if there is no legal meaning, commercial groups can abuse it. There is no one to defend it.

If AT&T decides to sell what are, in effect, private network services and call itself an  Internet Service Provider, who will defend the Internet's meaning?