How the FCC Plans To Save the Internet By Destroying It

New submitter dislikes_corruption writes: "Stopping the recently announced plan by the FCC to end net neutrality is going to require a significant outcry by the public at large, a public that isn't particularly well versed on the issue or why they should care. Ryan Singel, a former editor at Wired, has written a thorough and easy to understand primer on the FCC's plan, the history behind it, and how it will impact the Internet should it come to pass. It's suitable for your neophyte parent, spouse, or sibling. In the meantime, the FCC has opened a new inbox ([e-mail]) for public comments on the decision, there's a petition to sign at whitehouse.gov, and you can (and should) contact your congressmen."

Another petition

[Anonymous Coward]

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/maintain-true-net-neutrality-protect-freedom-information-united-states/9sxxdBgy

Be Specific

[dislikes_corruption]

I should have included this in the summary: when you write to the FCC or your congressmen be specific - we need to reclassify Internet providers as common carriers. If you just say you're in favor of net neutrality they'll weasel around it again. They've already tried to redefine net neutrality as whatever it is that they're doing at the moment.

The problem is having lobbyists heading the FCC

[fightinfilipino]

Tom Wheeler and other cable lobbyists should not and must not be in charge of any agency that purports to be for the public good.

sign this petition to target that very problem: http://wh.gov/lwhr8 [wh.gov]

Re: Congressional fix?

[J. J. Ramsey]

You trade pre-existing support now for death panels later. Have fun.

Repeating as fact something that Politifact had rated as "Lie of the Year" for 2009 [politifact.com] does not help your credibility.

Re:The problem is having lobbyists heading the FCC

[AK Marc]

Mostly people who don't know what it means. So far, *every* version of net neutrality has allowed for throttling of P2P for "network health" but so many people claim (wrongly) that net neutrality would make it illegal for a provider to deliberately and with justification, control their own network.

There are a number of loonitarians here that object on principle regarding a government regulation on a private network. Yes, that comes down to ignorance of what the regulation is, but also a general objection to any and all regulations, no matter how beneficial.

Re:Be Specific

[dislikes_corruption]

What, you've forgotten about SOPA already? Things do happen when you spread the word widely enough.

That study about the US being an oligarchy basically comes down to the Citizen's United decision paving the way for deep and widespread corruption. And that's a huge problem, no question, bigger than net neutrality for sure. But SOPA happened just last year, well after Citizen's United was passed. The Oligarchs don't control everything, just most of it.

You are certainly right to be outraged, maybe even despondent, but your fatalism isn't going to help anything. If you're upset about the oligarchy study you have two options: find a way to leave the country - Canada is nice, and apparently they have the richest middle class in the world now. Or you can volunteer for a campaign finance amendment which would overturn the Citizen's United decision.

Don't underestimate that second option. At the very least it would be a good life experience. Maybe you'd learn something, maybe you'd accomplish something, but at the very least you'd be contributing and doing something a little different with your time.

Re:Congressional fix?

[artor3]

Wait, I think you're confused.

"Regulation" in this case would be the FCC instituting net neutrality, so that the ISPs have to treat all comers equally. E.g., Comcast can't speed up Hulu at the expense of some small start-up video streaming site.

The big businesses want to kill net neutrality because that will let them crush any new start-ups, and ensure that they maintain control of what we watch for generations to come. Sites like Netflix never would have gotten off the ground without net neutrality.

The big businesses are trying to get rid of regulations, and you've twisted it around to say that we need to ...get rid of regulations. Either you're confused, or just some corporate bootlicker.

Re: Congressional fix?

[Anonymous Coward]

You are mistaken - the one evading here is you. You did not answer the parent poster's question; rather, you posted a bunch of evasive horse shit telling someone you don't know that they have 'not GAINED anything', that the government tracks everything related to 'your complete and total medical experience', and that censorship is all they have. Way to evade, writer of horse shit.