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Access to the <br />Internet: <br />Is it a right or <br />a privilege? <br />• Broadband providers want more <br />control of the Intemet. Opponents <br />say a tool of democracy is in peril. <br />'' Congress is taking up the issue. <br />By JOHN REINAN o jreinan@startribune.com <br />Imagine if the Internet were like ca- <br />ble TV. <br />You pay $40 a month to Time War- <br />ner or Comcast, and you get a menu of <br />80 websites to visit. <br />Want to go to a site devoted to Japa- <br />nese anime cartoons? Sorry, that's not <br />on the menu. Looking for that crazy blog <br />about the history of matchbook covers? <br />No longer available - or so slow to load <br />it's not worth your while. <br />That scenario could become <br />real, soma Internet mavens say, unless <br />Congress acts quickly to preserve free- <br />dom ofthe Web. A recent U.S. Supreme <br />Court decision has opened the door to <br />greater corporate control of the Inter- <br />net, and big business is ready to walk <br />through it. <br />"The small guy is not going to be able <br />to get his word out," said Elliot Cohen, <br />a Florida-based media scholar and au- <br />thor. "If these companies get their way, <br />content providers with deep pockets <br />will get optimum bandwidth, and the <br />rest of us will be spinning slowly in cy- <br />berspace. <br />"The gxeatest democratic fonzm that <br />was ever devised by humanity will go by <br />the wayside:' <br />But broadband Internet providers say <br />they don't want to restrict access to the <br />Web -they want to offer consumers <br />more choices. <br />More video, faster online games, <br />home teleconferencing -all would be <br />possible if broadband. providers could <br />charge different rates for different Inter- <br />net services, they say. <br />The debate is over "net neutrality." <br />It's the subject of at least four proposed <br />laws in Congress. <br />Internet continues on A15 <br />'L4' ~` <br />~~ <br />RICHARI.) TSO'N G-TAATARII <br />rtsong-taataziiCw startriUiuie.com <br />At Valleyfair, the Steel Venom ride is one of tl ie top attractions <br />and is considered an"aggressive thrill ride" <br />3,4t <br />Number c <br />injuries it <br />estimates <br />Consume <br />uct Safet} <br />As amusement park rides get wilder, <br />mishaps raise questions about regulate <br />