Have No Fear, Net Neutrality Is Saved

from the a-better-present-than-more-socks dept

Fri, Mar 17th 2006 1:32pm — Carlo Longino

The debate about net neutrality may be over, after more than 60 groups and companies signed a letter urging senators to pass a law protecting net neutrality. Among those groups was the AARP -- the lobbying group for the 50-plus set that tends to get pretty much whatever it wants in Washington, since their members tend to actually vote. The AARP admits it doesn't usually get involved in technological issues, but says this is one that would directly impact its members. The AARP does have tremendous political clout, but so too do the big telcos, so this could still be an interesting battle. But broadening the base of support for net neutrality -- and gaining such a powerful ally -- will no doubt help. While the telcos don't have a problem ripping off their parents, nobody wants to piss off grandma.

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11 Comments

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ZerothFor-Oh-For, 17 Mar 2006 @ 1:51pm

Hallilujjiablah!! Praise the Net!
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Smacky Mouse, 17 Mar 2006 @ 2:48pm

Smacky never imagined that something as highly technological in nature as the Internet would ever be assisted by old people who normally, to be fair, suck.
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they have the right, 17 Mar 2006 @ 2:57pm

isn't this directly related to that previous story about the possibility of the govt imposing the .xxx tld?
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Anon, 17 Mar 2006 @ 3:45pm

Old people want to leave this world in a better place then when they entered it. They implicity realize what we all know---that the internet frees information, which is good for everyone
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Smacky Smacker, 17 Mar 2006 @ 4:26pm

Re:
Screw you. You suck!
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jeremy, 17 Mar 2006 @ 8:52pm

Overgeneralization
"Old people want to leave this world in a better place then when they entered it. They implicity realize what we all know---that the internet frees information, which is good for everyone"

Omg, that is such an over generalization if there ever was one, do you even think over half of the 65+ population even know what a URL is...
AARP is not just made up of a bunch of 65+ people, it is a PAC that has a lot of political clout and those who push the PAC can be
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Visitor, 18 Mar 2006 @ 10:09am

Re: Overgeneralization
You have to know that some 'younger people' have a tendency to "over generalize". They have to...they haven't been around long enough to know any better.
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Zeroth404, 18 Mar 2006 @ 1:20pm

"You have to know that some 'younger people' have a tendency to "over generalize". They have to...they haven't been around long enough to know any better."

why some 'younger people' ?

why not say some of 'all people' ?

That would be more accurate.
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BC Wilson, 18 Mar 2006 @ 3:03pm

Re:
You seem to forget, Smacky Mouse, that it was these same people (now old) that invented the computer, the Internet... and made you. What have you contributed to the world? Anything at all?
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Old Person, 18 Mar 2006 @ 7:07pm

Another POV
Speaking as one who started with computers when they still used vacuum tubes and filled rooms, I find this amusing. Right now, I'm thinking forward some 30 or 40 years to when Smacky is one of those "old people who suck" and wondering how he'll (she'll?) react to it.
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Rick, 18 Mar 2006 @ 10:30pm

Re: Overgeneralization
AARP is not just made up of a bunch of 65+ people

Correct, AARP membership is actually possible at 50, which makes it a significantly more powerful group, now being taken over by the baby boomers who all have tech savvy kids growing up IN (AND UNDERSTANDING) this tech age.
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