Webhost Protests FCC's Net Neutrality Proposal By Limiting FCC Access To 28.8Kbps

from the welcome-to-the-slow-lane dept

Fri, May 9th 2014 11:57am — Mike Masnick

Earlier this week, venture capitalist Brad Feld put up a good post concerning the risk of the FCC's "open internet" rules actually turning into the ability for big broadband providers to set up a "fast lane" for large companies to pay for faster access to users. He suggested was that the best way to make clear how bad an idea this would be, would be to have internet companies demo the slow lane:

What if we did the same by Demoing the Slow Lane for a day. Algorithmically, all sites could slow themselves down dramatically, demonstrating what performance might look like over a 1/1 pipe. Or even a 0.5/0.5 pipe....

Let the world see “Waiting for”, “Connecting”, and “Buffering” show up in their browser continuously throughout the day. Explain what is going on. Then click a button to bypass the Slow Lane and get normal connectivity.

Instead of everyone getting tangled up in the legal question of what “net neutrality” means, consumers can see what could happen if / when ISPs can decide which companies get to use their fast lanes by paying extra and who is relegated to the slow lane.

It appears that (as many, many of you sent in), one web hosting company has adopted a somewhat modified plan based on a similar concept. Neocities has taken the FCC's IP block and rate limited any traffic from the FCC to Neocities' site down to the equivalent of a nostalgic 28.8Kbps modem (old man in me: I remember when those were considered "fast").

Since the FCC seems to have no problem with this idea, I've (through correspondence) gotten access to the FCC's internal IP block, and throttled all connections from the FCC to 28.8kbps modem speeds on the Neocities.org front site, and I'm not removing it until the FCC pays us for the bandwidth they've been wasting instead of doing their jobs protecting us from the "keep America's internet slow and expensive forever" lobby.

Neocities will let the FCC use a fast lane for just $1,000 per year. Neocities has also released the code it used, in case anyone else would like to do the same thing.

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Filed Under: fast lane, fcc, net neutrality, open internet, rate limited
Companies: neocities

55 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:01pm

Pay up for the "fast 100 Kb/s lane" FCC.
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Baron von Robber, 9 May 2014 @ 12:02pm

This...
...if it took off, would be great!
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Ninja (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:02pm

Now that's how you protest epically.

Though they could charge a higher price for added impact.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:07pm

I like Neocities' demo the slow lane idea. All the major internet companies like Google and Wikipedia should consider setting this up on the websites like this for a day. Similar to the ACTA blackouts.
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kenichi tanaka (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:14pm

This is a bad idea to let ISPs do this because consumers are going to get caught in the middle of this war between the FCC and the ISPs.
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Bt Garner (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:15pm

I hope Netflix adopts this code.
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Baron von Robber, 9 May 2014 @ 12:15pm

Re:
No they won't because the admins KNOW what they are doing. You don't.
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gorehound (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:21pm

I thought it would be a great idea to send a message to the corrupt Gov.But expand the range of addresses to encompass the Gov.And have as many people do it as possible.But the kicker could be seeing all the biggies do this to them.
netflix,google,wikipedia,amz,apple, etc.

We all know the Gov is full of money taking assbags so why not do to them what they would do to us.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:24pm

Re:
If Google slows down the internets, how will they search for pirate sites to submit DCMA notices for?
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Digger, 9 May 2014 @ 12:28pm

Apply the same to ALL government websites
Let's see how long it take before congress orders the FCC to enforce net neutrality - the REAL net neutrality.
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John Fenderson (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:29pm

Re:
A webhost is not an ISP.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:34pm

Re:
eh...too late?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:35pm

Re:
forgot to take your anti-derp pills today?
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That One Guy (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:35pm

Given the FCC is a government body, and therefor a group for whom $1,000 per year is pocket change, they should be charging them that rate on a monthly basis, not yearly, to really drive the point home.

Hopefully more ISP's will follow suit, targeting the FCC and other government groups/agencies as well, really let them get a taste of what the public is so 'worked up' over.
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That One Guy (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:40pm

Re:
*Hopefully more webhosts will follow suit
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sehlat (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 12:41pm

Show Comcast et. al. the Slow Lane, All Right!
But do it with the court system. $100,000/day for each legal action they have active in the court system. Talk to a judge? $10,000/minute for every minute of delay under 24 hours delay. Their opponents pay nothing and get instant access.

I'm sure ComCrash and others will appreciate being on the receiving end of their own ideas.
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Digger, 9 May 2014 @ 12:42pm

Re:
Just switch it to a 24 hour rate, increase it to 100k.

Call it the Netflix throttle rate charge, make sure they know to thank the paid for FCC Chairman (aka Communications Industry pawn) and his stance on the Commcast / Netflix decision.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 12:55pm

Re:
Where's the "Captain Obvious" button...

You just stated what all of us knew already - and the FCC hasn't figured out quite yet.
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Whatever, 9 May 2014 @ 12:57pm

uncool story
It would be a great story if anyone was talking about intentionally slowing things down, which they are not. They are talking about current standard plus more, not less.

It's a protest by mis-information, which is less intelligent than the FCC proposal.
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Baldaur Regis (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 1:09pm

I hope the FCC will take the time to visit the neocities site to get an idea of what an unchecked future might look like. And then walk that horrible zombie net neutrality proposal back to the cash-lined grave from whence it lurched.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:11pm

It's a protest by mis-information, which is less intelligent than the FCC proposal.

If it wasn't for misinformation, the nitwits here would never be able to make a point.
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PRMan, 9 May 2014 @ 1:17pm

Re: uncool story
Not exactly. Because if this sort of thing had come around in the 28.8 days, that is how things might look.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:22pm

Re:
I agree with you kenichi tanaka. Between mission creep from the FCC and corporations seeking to increase profits by charging extra before it is over with you'll pay through the nose or have to settle for that 28.8 kbs internet connection.

It's already this way just not as bad as it could get with the restraints removed.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:23pm

Re: Re:
That sounds like a solution hunting for the problem. Is there a downside to this?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:26pm

Re:
Talk about nitwits and here comes the trolls. Who left the outhouse door open?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:26pm

Re: uncool story
It would be a great story if anyone was talking about intentionally slowing things down, which they are not. They are talking about current standard plus more, not less.

The rules don't have a slow lane, but do enable a fast lane. And once you do that you've created a slow lane too. Slowing things down is a very basic way of showing the inevitable impact of having a fast lane.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:29pm

sometimes the only way to fight fire is with water!

if Wheeler cant/wont see how big a mistake it's going to be to carry out his plan, ignoring everything else from everywhere else telling him what the outcome is going to be, he must be receiving a hell of a thrumpence to do so!!
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PsychoDan (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 1:37pm

Re: uncool story
It would be a great story if anyone was talking about intentionally slowing things down, which they are not. They are talking about current standard plus more, not less.

The point of this, I think, is that 20 years ago 28.8k was the "current standard", and if this scheme had been implemented back then, that's what the "slow lane" would still be. It's not so much showing what the merely annoying immediate effects of this policy will be, but what the utterly catastrophic effects will be after a couple decades.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 1:41pm

Re:
How? NeoCities is specifically targeting the FCC. How do you see this 'war' happening?
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 2:02pm

Too bad we can't get the FCC's upstream provider to implement this.
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John Fenderson (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 2:17pm

Re: uncool story
This misinformation is when people claim that what's being discussed won't have an effect on on people who aren't willing to pay the extortion fee. It will. Best case, it means that the "current standard" will never be increased.

Also, nobody is promising that the "current standard" won't be degraded. The major ISPs have already proven, time and time again, that they will gladly harm the "current standard".
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alternatives(), 9 May 2014 @ 2:42pm

Re:
This is a bad idea

Then do share with us all the better idea.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 3:06pm

Re:
Agreed. If we knew how much, maybe we could crowd source a better offer
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Warren Bonesteel, 9 May 2014 @ 3:54pm

A return to Freedom 2.0. I like it.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 4:03pm

Internet Citizens: Defend Net Neutrality
By CGP Grey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtt2aSV8wdw
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 4:22pm

Re: Re:
Everyone should only slow down the Internet for the MPAA/RIAA.

Heck, that could be a good way for those that don't like these organizations to protest their monopoly on laws. Slow down their web services to them.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 4:58pm

Re:
I hope Facebook adopts this code.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 5:13pm

They should do this for everyone in protest. Like the SOPA day protest with the blackout. Instead slow down the loading of big websites, and tell people "This is how your Internet will work if FCC's net neutrality proposals pass".
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Violynne (profile), 9 May 2014 @ 5:31pm

Great. There goes my taxpayer dollars as the FCC pays these "fast lane" fees of $1000/year.

:P

I think this is a fantastic idea. Just as websites did with SOPA, all of them should unite and show government just how ridiculous their regulation can be, if passed.

Some people need a visual stimulant to see the bigger picture.
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Whatever, 9 May 2014 @ 5:42pm

Re: Re: uncool story
The major ISPs have already proven, time and time again, that they will gladly harm the "current standard".

Really? Do you have an actual example of that? You know, what that doesn't involve a sudden influx of traffic from a bandwidth hog service or P2P?
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TestPilotDummy, 9 May 2014 @ 10:58pm

FCC was supposed to ONLY regulate Power and Frequency!!!
The FCC was supposed to ONLY regulate Power and Frequency!!!
This net neutrality crap has allowed them to jump into your shielded cat5 cables.

All this is mission creep is by the fascists running the FCC.

They tore up the original FCC mission statement. No longer do they hire their engineers to regulate the spectrum (Power and Frequency) in the public interest.

They vaguely said the broadcast stations would put their PUBLIC FILE online, but where is it? All this time and since they left it vague, it NEVER HAPPENED. At best the sheeple can set up an appointment with the stations PUBLIC FILE.

otherwise all these fascist stations would have long since had their frequency allocation's and station id's yanked by the complaints in their PUBLIC FILE[s].

The MSM is now the ministry of propaganda for the FASCIST POTUS, and the fcc is the sheriff of huddersfield. (find the iron maiden song to comprehend)

Look the FCC I Can understand needs to regulate power and frequency, but they can't even do that right, they're now completely sold out to the corporations interests over the public interest as per their original mission statement.

In short, the spectrum was supposed to be managed in the public interest and SAFETY (yes too much power in your face causes damage to you) and instead what we have is 96% public spectrum being controlled by Corporate Interests (3% freqs for .gov / .mil, right right..)
Maybe 1% public access and amateur bands. Which they most certainly hate the existing thereof.

Look, I just do crap with soldering guns and chips and code, I am just the messenger, I had nice tv show (what I wanted to really do), and POOF it's gone now with the NDAA 2012 Cause ya never know when you might interview someone who is the next al cia duh and then your tied to them and disappeared (even if the whole thing is entirely retarded beyond comprehension)

There's nothing left of this country unless your positioned now.

Only the militia, and a few hunkered down still has BALLS. But that day will come when you have no more choice but to fight!
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 11:48pm

Re: Kenichi Tanaka
:) Thanks for making your own point.
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2014 @ 11:49pm

Re: Re: Kenichi Tanaka
Ignore the subject in the above post. A mistake, not relevant.
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Anonymous Howard (profile), 10 May 2014 @ 6:22am

Re: Re: Re: uncool story
This whole"bandwidth hog service or P2P" argument is a red herring.

The end user paid for the bandwidth. The ISP don't have to provide more bandwidth than their users already paid for, no matter if the source is netflix or wikipedia.

You basically arguing, that netflix should pay more, because netflix users use their full bandwidth, while wikipedia users use only a fraction.
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Current Events - what's that?, 10 May 2014 @ 6:59am

Re: Re: Re: uncool story
Level 3 accuses Comcast, other ISPs of 'deliberately harming' broadband service

http://www.infoworld.com/t/net-neutrality/level-3-accuses-comcast-other-isps-of-deliberately- harming-broadband-service-241999

Level 3 calls out Comcast, TWC and others for �deliberately harming� their own broadband

http://bgr.com/2014/05/06/comcast-internet-service-criticism-twc-cablevision-level-3/
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Anonymous Coward, 10 May 2014 @ 7:02am

Re: FCC was supposed to ONLY regulate Power and Frequency!!!
Wow -
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Christenson, 10 May 2014 @ 7:04am

Wider "Buzz" than usual
My wife brought this up at dinner last night...it's usually the other way around...so a much wider impact is being made by this action than usual.

Same for the Amazon patent on photographic lighting!
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John Fenderson (profile), 10 May 2014 @ 8:18am

Re: Re: Re: uncool story
Sure, Comcast and Netflix.
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John Fenderson (profile), 10 May 2014 @ 8:21am

Re: Re: Re: Re: uncool story
Ack, hit submit too soon. You may consider Netflix a "bandwidth hog" (while ignoring that Netflix actually pays for all that bandwidth they're hogging), but the way that Comcast extorted from Netflix was to allow their peering point to saturate. This affected Netflix, of course, but also everyone else who was going through that peering point. Comcast did not block Netflix, they simply decided not to maintain the "current standard" over those links.
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John Fenderson (profile), 10 May 2014 @ 8:25am

Re: FCC was supposed to ONLY regulate Power and Frequency!!!
Very interesting. So you're saying that the FCC taking action that favors the people over corporations is somehow fascist?
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Cydramech, 10 May 2014 @ 10:19am

Net Neutrality is not the Answer
Unless you don't support the small business ISP that can't necessarily offer everything to its customers. Or unless you support an ultraviolent monopoly telling everyone what it can or cannot do all at gunpoint for the sake of a few roads.

Regulations always benefit the bigger corporations as they limit the ability for small startups and force larger investment. The same is true of net neutrality (as proven already by the case of MetroPCS).
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Anonymous Coward, 10 May 2014 @ 4:35pm

The World Wide Wait, all over again!
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Anonymous Coward, 11 May 2014 @ 2:34am

I bet a lot of people think "net neutrality" means Google not deciding what a person sees when they do a search.
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Pragmatic, 12 May 2014 @ 6:19am

Re: Apply the same to ALL government websites
Have you got all century?
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Tom, 16 May 2014 @ 1:52pm

Re:
You obviously dont know how the internet works or what the term "IP Block" means.
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