Net Neutrality controversy is back

[MohtasaUnique]

The FCC-- leaned on by Comcast lobbyists, and recently chaired by a former Verizon legal director-- is once again resuming its efforts to repeal laws set in place to protect internet neutrality. ISP "expressway fees" and other "prime service" schemes threaten smaller chains and personal websites (Sythe.org for example) in ways that will impede connection speed if the webmasters don't pay a fee to enable "faster connection" (which, just like Oreo's "Double Stuf", will be the same speed as it was before, but marketed as express, while the others get a millimeter of stuffing inside their cookies... metaphorically?)

The goal is to reclassify ISPs as "Information Providers" rather than "Common Carriers". Common carriers have legal protection for both the providers and the users. Airplanes and other travel industries, telecommunication, utilities, and currently ISPs: these are all common carriers. Providers are protected, for example, by not being liable for the content which utilizes the service. For example, Comcast can't be held liable for the child porn and torrents that pass through their wires, so long as they punish known offenses by denial of service or proper reporting to authorities. Consumers are likewise protected because they cannot be discriminated against using these services. Apple cannot pay airlines to deny service to Microsoft executives, Disney cannot pay phone companies to drop calls when guests try to contact Universal Studios, etc.

As a result, should net neutrality be stripped, many if not all of the following would be possible:

• Larger subscription based companies such as Netflix may begin to raise their prices to their consumers in order to keep their streaming service fast enough for users to actually enjoy.
  
  
• Free-to-use, information rich sites such as facebook or wikipedia may have to convert to subscription-based, or increase their ad revenue to offset similar costs.
  
  
• All sites deemed "illegal" (or in direct competition) by the ISP may be denied service or severely slowed down.
  
  
• Subscribers to internet may be made to pay additional fees for "expressway" access for faster internet, but could in fact be receiving minutely faster internet for a substantial increase in cost.

I'm hoping I don't need to explain much more than the surface repercussions if net neutrality is erased. Though it's not much, please take a few seconds of your time to sign the petition below, which will automatically send a letter in your name to key congressmen and directly to the FCC.

Comcast wants to control what you do online. Do you want to let them?​

 

[Program]

Internet companies have always been aids. Same with cable companies. Seems like if ISPs started shafting everyone, a new solution would come in and bring things back to normal pretty quick.

 

Privacy will soon be a state of mind. The benefit of knowing what your subscribers are searching for or looking at is a big upside not only financially, but for government agencies as well. So the push for this is to be expected from these companies.

 

[Nos Astra]

From what I've seen in interviews on youtube, this Ajit Pai character from the FFC is clearly speaking on the behalf of the ISP's and businesses likewise and no one else. Even though he is well aware of the sheer number of people against it, he claims to have spoken to SOME people that agree with the removal of it. It's clear there is no dissuading this person with any logic and/or facts presented to him. He is just a puppet trying to garner any little support from the remaining people that would eventually take his side.

 

[Not2slo]

yeah for real. internet companies give me HIV.

 

[riskybusiness]

yea i have to agree i am very weiry on internet company's

 

[JSand]

aaaannddd its back again.

 

[T V]

are you a journalist Mohtasa?

 

aaaannddd its back again.

^^^

Even with the massive outspoken protest the FFC is still moving forward with it.
Here's a YT news show where the first half of the video explains what's going on.

 

[JSand]

I believe the vote is this Thursday. RIP the Internet

 

[StickTalk]

I'm on one accord with net neutrality anyone who isn't shouldn't be using the internet lol.

 

I believe the vote is this Thursday. RIP the Internet

No way it’s going through lol Twitter has helped with that.

 

[JSand]

No way it’s going through lol Twitter has helped with that.

I think you're mistaken. Things have passed without public approval especially with this WH. We'll see though.

 

I think you're mistaken. Things have passed without public approval especially with this WH. We'll see though.

Nah I know but still. This is waaaay to big of a change.

 

[JSand]

Nah I know but still. This is waaaay to big of a change.

They passed tax reform through the house that more than half of Americans didn't agree with.... that's a bigger change.

 

[JSand]

There she goes.

 

[Nym]

Just wanted to note that congress is still able to block the vote via the Congressional Review Act. Contact your local representatives and tell them they are losing your vote if they do not act now.

 

[jackthehackm8]

FCC voted, making it a starting point of the topic, however it still has to go through congress, meaning we still have a chance.

in the end, why the fuck do we live in an age where we have to argue about visiting websites? We're the land of the free lmao

 

All it took was 3 people. 3 fucking people to repeal something a huge majority of people were against repealing. Just because the man responsible for it was Obama.

 

[Hubbalicious]

Out of curiosity, should this actually go through, would it have a drastic affect on the cryptocurrency market? If so, for the better or worse?