Net Neutrality

Looks like a done deal.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...ity-pledge-the-same-day-fcc-announced-repeal/

-cb

cbenoi1 said:

Looks like a done deal.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy...ity-pledge-the-same-day-fcc-announced-repeal/

-cb

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I expect so, unfortunately. The foxes are in charge of the henhouse; nobody with an ounce of sense can think they'll work for the benefit of the chickens.

Brightdreamer said:

I expect so, unfortunately. The foxes are in charge of the henhouse; nobody with an ounce of sense can think they'll work for the benefit of the chickens.

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Nope. Our only hope now is the courts, and of course #45 is poised to make a large number of appointments at every level of federal court.

It's obvious they're done listening to the people. Phone calls, comments are just being ignored or brushed off with the excuse that they're fake or spam.

More and more, I feel like nothing less than armed insurrection has any hope of preserving any semblance of our democracy.

Brightdreamer said:

The foxes are in charge of the henhouse; nobody with an ounce of sense can think they'll work for the benefit of the chickens.

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That seems prevalent throughout this administration, not just at the FCC.

-cb

Say goodbye to 3rd party VOIP. Or pr...ep..are to ha...ve yo...ur vo...i...ce p....a....ck.....et...s l...ost al....on...g t...he w...a......y.

-cb

Five people.

The freedom and equality of internet service for hundreds of millions of Americans came down to a vote between five people.

Such bullshit.

This is a blatant example of government no longer even pretending to be for the benefit of the people. 83% of Americans, including 3/4 of Republicans, oppose this change. I hope they remember which party pushed this through in next year's midterm elections.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...g-act-of-deregulation/?utm_term=.9e4624f598e4

The fight is now going to move to the courts. What this means and how it will end is very unclear, but hopefully it will be a while before these changes can take effect. Though maybe the GOP is counting on this. If there are no immediate changes in internet service, people will likely forget by next Nov, and if and when the changes do come, they may even forget who to blame.

http://www.slate.com/articles/techn...ill_be_challenged_in_court.html?ref=hvper.com

I'm hoarse from making calls.

This is very very bad for everyone who used the Internet, and particularly, for communities like this one.

OK, first, this isn't THE END of Net Neutrality and it's irresponsible to spread the misinformation that it is. It's a step, and there is still plenty of fight to be had.

For those on Twitter, read Celeste P's entire thread, chock-a-block full of info and actionable steps (I'll repeat a couple of them for people who don't use Twitter.)

17 states have already sued, or announced legal action, against the FCC.
��California
��Delaware
��Hawaii
��Illinois
��Iowa
��Kentucky
��Maine
��Maryland
��Massachusetts
��Mississippi
��NY
��North Carolina
��Oregon
��Pennsylvania
��Vermont
��Virginia
��Washington

If your state isn't on this list, contact your local electeds, from city up to Attorney General. Demand action and protection.

Second, as Roxxsmom says, the fight will move to the courts. Threats to net neutrality have been defeated in court twice before. There is now legal precedent.

Third, Congress can legislate Net Neutrality into law. With the overwhelming numbers of people across the political spectrum in favor, there is pressure to be exerted. Candidates need to be pressed to add NN to their platforms. Dems can get behind this and make it a spotlight election issue. If you're part of an organized resistance movement, make sure your group is talking about it. If you go to candidate forums, or town halls of your electeds, ask about it.

Exert influence, even if it's a phone call or email to a local representative. This is one of those cases where local pols will significantly suffer the consequences of a federal action. When customers are pissed Comcast is slowing down Netflix to try to force its customers to buy last season's episodes instead of watching them on Netflix, people will be calling local politicians and agencies, not the FCC.

The best thing that can happen for Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, and Charter Communications is for people to give up and for this vote to fade away. Don't let it.

Elaine, thank you for that voice (eg - that there are actions we can take, that it is not a done deal) because I was just full of feelings of surrender to inevitability before reading your post.

ElaineA has posted the list of states opposing the FCC ruling in one form or another.

Some additional actions being taken:

New York's AG has announced the state will lead a multi-state lawsuit challenging the ruling.

U.S. Senator Ed Markey announced he and California Representative Anna Eshoo are filing an amicus brief.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown announced he is introducing a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to undo the FCC ruling.


Like Lisa, I'm nearly hoarse from the phone calls. An open internet was the goal from the beginning and I'm heartsick at what's happening to it.

Another list, this one of the Congressional representatives who encouraged repeal, and the amount of money they took from the Telecom industry. Is your rep on this list?

List of the Members of Congress Who Just Told Ajit Pai to Repeal Net Neutrality

Keep in mind that ISPs in general aren't the issue; it's the media giants. In particular, it's Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, and Charter Communications.

There are others. But keep calling, and letting people who roll their eyes understand that it's like having your electrical company decide what you can watch on TV, and for how much, and that it's not going to be a "fair and free market."

Washington state has stepped up with some of it's own protections as well.

I love where I live.

ShaunHorton said:

Washington state has stepped up with some of it's own protections as well.

I love where I live.

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Unfortunately, according to the interview I heard on KUOW at noontime today, the repeal language includes some preemptive strikes against the kinds of tactics Inslee is talking about. I don't have the language of the repeal, and KUOW hasn't put the interview up on the website yet (I'll link it as soon as I see it go up) but bottom line is they don't want states and municipalities doing these kinds of work-arounds because...well, because this thing is funded by Big Telecom and they want uniform non-regulations.

I still think the best way to ensure NN is to get on congress to pass a law, but that's going to take a big tsunami of voices. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers from lil' ol' Spokane took the 6th highest amount of Telecom cash-ola of the reps who supported repeal in that letter to Pai. Hopefully she'll be held to account.

ElaineA said:

Unfortunately, according to the interview I heard on KUOW at noontime today, the repeal language includes some preemptive strikes against the kinds of tactics Inslee is talking about. I don't have the language of the repeal, and KUOW hasn't put the interview up on the website yet (I'll link it as soon as I see it go up) but bottom line is they don't want states and municipalities doing these kinds of work-arounds because...well, because this thing is funded by Big Telecom and they want uniform non-regulations.

I still think the best way to ensure NN is to get on congress to pass a law, but that's going to take a big tsunami of voices. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers from lil' ol' Spokane took the 6th highest amount of Telecom cash-ola of the reps who supported repeal in that letter to Pai. Hopefully she'll be held to account.

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I recall reading about that anti-state-NN language, too, though I can't recall where. Wouldn't surprise me a bit; this coup has been quite some time in the making, so they probably had it all written and redrafted and reviewed and just waiting for someone slimy enough to rubber stamp it and seal our doom.

ElaineA said:

Another list, this one of the Congressional representatives who encouraged repeal, and the amount of money they took from the Telecom industry. Is your rep on this list?

List of the Members of Congress Who Just Told Ajit Pai to Repeal Net Neutrality

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Thanks Elaine, I am sharing that link tonight.

ShaunHorton said:

Washington state has stepped up with some of it's own protections as well.

I love where I live.

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Maybe the states can bring a class-action lawsuit:

Reuters: New York state AG to sue over net neutrality reversal

Here's an override action starting:

Senator Markey Leads Resolution to Restore FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules

Washington (December 14, 2017) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, and 15 other Senators today announced their plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would undo today’s action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and restore the 2015 net neutrality rules. Today, the FCC approved an item that guts the 2015 Open Internet Order, which the D.C. Circuit Court upheld in 2016. The Open Internet Order prohibited internet service providers from setting up internet fast and slow lanes and ensured they could not block or slow down internet traffic.

“Donald Trump’s FCC made an historic mistake today by overturning its net neutrality rules, and we cannot let it stand,” said Senator Markey. “Without strong net neutrality rules, entrepreneurs, inventors, small businesses, activists and all those who rely on a free and open internet will be at the mercy of big broadband companies that can block websites, slow down traffic and charge websites fees in order to increase their profits.

“We will fight the FCC’s decisions in the courts, and we will fight it in the halls of Congress,” continued Senator Markey. “With this CRA, Congress can correct the Commission’s misguided and partisan decision and keep the internet in the hands of the people, not big corporations. Our Republicans colleagues have a choice - be on the right side of history and stand with the American people who support net neutrality, or hold hands with the big cable and broadband companies who only want to supercharge their profits at the expense of consumers and our economy.”

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Interesting basis:

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United
States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission
relating to ‘‘Restoring Internet Freedom’’.

JOINT RESOLUTION
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by
the Federal Communications Commission relating to ‘‘Restoring Internet Freedom’’.
1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
3 That Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Fed-
4 eral Communications Commission relating to ‘‘Restoring
5 Internet Freedom’’ ø(ll Fed. Reg. lll
6 (lllll ll, 2017))¿, and such rule shall have no
7 force or effect.

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This from another forum at least made me laugh:

... once the DC area gets charged for prioritization of their porn, just watch how the bills restoring network neutrality fly!

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AW Admin said:

Keep in mind that ISPs in general aren't the issue; it's the media giants. In particular, it's Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, and Charter Communications.

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I expect everyone with wires to fish large setup fees and break out a per megabyte price list on short order. That means it's the content providers with deep pockets that will be hit first, not the consumers - not only Netflix, Youtube, or Spotify, but Microsoft, Apple, IBM, Sony, Nintendo, etc. who can spare the added fees if their stuff happen to work better. Everything else will stay in the crud. And when there is still not enough bandwidth to go by, expect the likes of Linux and free software to be throttled down and their plea lost in the PR static.

Most people won't complain because - geez - it works better now. By that time the trap would have been set for the next step - consumer billing.

-cb

While I was trying my best to sit in the corner and ignore everyone today, I was treated to my uncle, a hardcore, far-right Republican, explaining Net Neutrality to my grandma.

Basically, he framed it as the government regulating what websites you can or can't see, and blamed it for the reason we have streaming websites that still have to buffer, because somehow the net neutrality laws prevent Netflix from paying for higher bandwidth.

I know it's all bullshit, but I thought it might be worth sharing what some of the GOP voters actually think is going on.