Anti Net Neutrality Crowd Reaches Deep For The Craziest Possible Response To President Obama's Call For Real Net Neutrality Rules
from the and-the-competition-is-on dept
Well, we already wrote about President Obama's somewhat surprising decision to come out strongly in favor of Title II reclassification for broadband (with strong forbearance) to setup some real net neutrality rules. We also covered the unhappy response from the big broadband players who are just repeating the same talking points from the past year, claiming that they'll suddenly stop investing in broadband and how this will kill the internet (ignoring that they already rely on Title II for a number of things, including internet infrastructure).But the real fun is coming from the politicians and the pundits who seem to be trying to out-crazy each other in coming up with the most ridiculous analogy/description of what Title II means for the internet and the world. The one getting the most attention has to be Senator Ted Cruz who declared net neutrality "Obamacare for the internet."
How do you think Fox's Napolitano and Varney would feel about Comcast slowing down access to Fox's videos and websites while pushing those visitors to visit MSNBC instead?
And if that wasn't crazy enough, let's take it up another notch. We got an unsolicited "statement of Roslyn Layton" in response to President Obama's proposal. I have no idea who "Roslyn Layton" is and, and frankly, have no interest in doing the Google search to find out, but I know plenty from the fact that she's actually claiming that this new plan to make sure that the internet is open and free from unfair blocking for all is somehow a victory for the Russians, Chinese and Iranians:
During President Obama’s official visit to China today, the White House issued a statement of support of government regulation of the Internet with the classification of broadband under Title II of the Telecommunications Act from 1934. The symbolism of this statement appearing while President Obama is in China could not be more Orwellian. The Chinese internet is everything that we don’t want in the US: state ownership of the enterprises that comprises the Internet, its infrastructure, content, and connectivity; top-down regulation of every aspect of the Internet experience; and government collusion with industry to create Internet companies. Should the US take the route of reclassifying broadband under Title II as Obama suggests, it would bring the the US dangerously closer to the Chinese model where the internet is “government allowed”.Except that's the opposite of fact. A plan that specifically calls for "no blocking, no throttling, increased transparency and no paid prioritization." Does that really sound like a plan from China, Iran and Russia? Does Layton think anyone thinks that statement is even within the same area code as the truth? While some others are making similar statements, they at least admit that those countries will use "any action" by the US government as a supposed defense for seeking to regulate the internet.
Title II is not only bad news for the US, but for the rest of world. Indeed foreign authoritarian governments have been looking for justification to monitor networks and users under the guise of net neutrality and the “Open Internet”. Obama’s announcement could not be a better present to the leaders of China, Iran, and Russia.
But that includes any rules that would be put forth, including the rules under Section 706. So the fact that Russia, China and Iran would lie and totally misrepresent what rules under Title II mean doesn't magically mean that Title II would give them any extra cover.
And that's because it's simply wrong that Title II is "regulating the internet." As we've explained many times, there are legitimate concerns about using Title II -- but these complaints above are hysterical and simply wrong. And by being so hyperbolic and apoplectic, they're actually doing their side a disservice. Anyone who actually knows what's going on knows for a fact that rules under Title II aren't anywhere near as problematic as all of these claims are making it out to be.
Taking clear rules that are designed to keep the internet more accessible and more open and less susceptible to interference shouldn't be seen as a partisan issue (a la Cruz) or "regulating the internet." It's not. It's about defining the rules under which underlying infrastructure must agree to operate -- to keep the internet itself free from dangerous interference by gatekeepers who have a long history of interfering. It's certainly not about supporting totalitarian censorship-happy regimes, but the exact opposite. It's about making sure that everyone can get their message or service out there, and not worrying about having a giant broadband player block access over its last mile monopoly.
To take an issue that is about keeping the internet open and free, and pretending it's going to lead to a censored and "Orwellian" internet is just ridiculous and wrong.
Reacting like this just makes everyone making such claims look really, really silly.
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: andrew napolitano, net neutrality, roslyn layton, stuart varney, ted cruz, title ii
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Now I've other names to add to the "Morons Who Don't Deserve The Responsibility Americans Gave Them".
*scratches off SCOTUS
I ran out of space on my 3.2 petabyte drive. >:[
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Make of that what you will.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
That's what I make of that.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
And they say people act differently online.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Obamacare for the Internet?
Does anyone with a shred of intelligence take Ted Cruz seriously?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
Don't like something? Just say it's just like Obamacare, even if there's no evidence in reality. Then let Rush Limbaugh and Fox News run with it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
Seems like far too many people take him seriously, even if to the outside world he's just another Palin-style moron who inexplicably gets to be a lead international figure. (Yes, *inter*national - the rest of the world is caught between laughing at these morons and hoping that they don't get put in a place where they cause real damage to the rest of us).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
Blame Texas. I'm sure there are people there who actually have two brain cells to rub together, but there aren't enough of them.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obamacare for the Internet?
(It's not even GOOD shilling; he's just blatantly trying to hitch a ride on the Anti-Obamacare train. Pathetic.)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
Franchises are dead because of piracy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
But the stupid Republicans fawn over Hollywood hoping to get some scraps from them.
This time you can do the same thing Obama is advocating AND support the actual "folks" who don't want their Netflix to start moving at the speed of molasses. Thats the whole rub here an the angle.
Minus common carrier the screws will be turned on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, until those services either become too expensive or too slow to be of use to people. This it the argument, this is the reason.
Republicans, get on the right side of this dammit!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
Many of them consider bipartisanship a bad thing. Working with Democrats to get something done is seen as a stain, not an accomplishment.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: If you like your movie provider, you can keep it
I am all for net neutrality, but you cannot take O at his word so the Repbubs need to proceed with caution.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Just think
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Just think
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Just think
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Just think
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Let's not dismiss Ted Cruz so quickly...
And the time he debugged a PMTUD issue spanning two different ISPs and a firewall?
Or the time he wrote the definitive paper on congestion control for streaming content delivery?
Oh...wait. He's never done ANY of those things. And that is why we should all pay rapt attention to what someone with no experience, no knowledge, no background, no expertise whatsoever has to say. Right.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Let's not dismiss Ted Cruz so quickly...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Let's not dismiss Ted Cruz so quickly...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Oh no!
Isn't it enough for China, Iran, and Russia that they have taken over our streets, our water supply, our electricity, and whatever else is considered a utility?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Seriously, fuck this planet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
And
The people on that panel are seriously wrong.
Have I restored any of your hope?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Media Matters vs Fox News
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I'm waiting for Obama to come out and make a speech decrying murder and puppy kicking, and Ted Cruz will have to stand up and declare that he's not sure if there's enough murder and that not kicking puppies is Obamacare for our pets.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
As awesome as that would be, he would actually denounce Obama for not coming out against murder and puppy kicking sooner (despite the fact that Cruz hadn't said anything about them either).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
It doesn't just seem that way, it's their publicly stated policy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
"even a broken clock is right twice a day"
This is one of those two times Obama is right.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
One of them needs to fail real bad in the next election so the third parties have a chance to get their candidates in. It doesn't matter that much who is president, he (or she) will always have to work with Congress to get anything done so we need to be aiming to get our candidates elected to Congress. We just need the numbers.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Cruz is wrong
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
For some reason, I'm pretty sure that Dems would do the same thing if the Reps looked at the Net Neutrality, and saw the pro-business narrative that it provides, and ran with it first.
It's not like it hasn't been pointed out before. There are numerous businesses that exist today that couldn't, or would be smaller, if their access was subject to the whims of telecoms. You might even say that preventing a neutral field of play for businesses is a "job killer", a line that has been trotted out by the GOP for dem policies they don't like, which today is all of them.
The GOP could have easily done that; say that Neutrality is a part of the engine that allows small businesses, and enterprising americans to thrive and make the country great (TM). Instead there must be strident and hyperbolic resistance, because the other side must never be credited with having a good idea.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
While I have my ideological lines, I also am becoming more pragmatic as this particular flavor of politics continues. I'm tired of everything being a fight to see who can exlude the middle the fastest, and would rather see some ideas at least tried out before being blocked out.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
I work on the internet, I get my entertainment over the internet, I utilize the internet daily for untold things.
If there is ONE issue that I could possibly be compelled to be a single issue voter on, it is internet freedom.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
That was the point of my original comment. I'm sorry if that came over poorly.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Possible solutions:
-Make political advertisements illegal (nearly impossible)
-Put forward candidates who are unwilling to compromise on their beliefs (completely impossible)
-Create an intelligent, well-informed voting public that demands excellent representation from their government (laughably impossible)
-Enact harsh universal term limits that restrict anyone who is elected to a political office from ever running for any other office (may have negative side-effects)
-Something else?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
Take off and nuke it from orbit (severe side effects)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re:
Why in the world would I want to engage in a failed terror attack, get tortured for multiple days, then be burned at the stake? I mean sure, he gets a holiday, and there's candy involved, but it's all about making effigies so they can burn him all over again.
I'll take my inspiration from a group that succeeded in revolution, thank you very much!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
Succeeded? Your front runners for the presidency include Ted Cruze and Hillary Clinton, your corporations buy your law by buying your elected representatives, your 4th amendment has been gutted, your 5th amendment is on life support, your 1st amendment is contra-indicated by your educational system, your police think they're fighting a war against the people they were hired to protect, your south pines for the days of slavery, the rest of you are damned near proud of your racism, there's a revolving door between banks and corporations and their regulators, your FBI is trying to compete with your CIA, your supremes don't even understand English any more, your MafiAA is dictating treaties for your trade representatives to impose in secret, ...
I could go on, but I think I need to go throw up now.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:
Meh. Life.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not Another Government Operation
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not Another Government Operation
Such a bad idea that nobody is actually proposing that. If you think net neutrality is "the government running the internet" then you either didn't read or didn't understand the linked article. Here it is again if you want to take a look.
http://theoatmeal.com/blog/net_neutrality
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not Another Government Operation
How about this - let me sue the individuals in Government who break the rules laid down.
An example - someone is letting in these counterfeit products. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/6/va-surgeons-risk-danger-by-using-unauthorized-pote/ To let me, the aware citizen, sue the administrator who approved it.
Standing? Bah, I have it because I paid taxes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
Oh it is. Corporations are people, don't ya know?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
anti-big government & zero tolerance
Their opposition to network neutrality may be more a fear of the monster it might eventually grow into rather than what is currently proposed.
Ideally, ISPs, like any other business, should be allowed to do just about anything they want, and if customers don't like it, they can go somewhere else. The problem is that, for broadband providers, there typically isn't anyone else, so it's either their local cable company or nothing at all.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
And the current regulatory regime won't grow to strangle them... really?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
The people who whine the most about regulation are the ones who do the most damage. Am I the only one who's noticed that?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
Exactly. Look at the European market, where there's very strong competition. They don't have net neutrality issues, because any ISP caught messing with it would get dropped immediately. Since the FCC/Congress is unwilling to do what's necessary to ensure actual competition, Title II is the best alternative. But I'm pretty certain the same people making ridiculous claims about Title II regulation would flip out about letting companies compete on shared infrastructure as well.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
Oh FFS. Go read this. It's short:
http://reason.com/24-7/2014/11/11/presidents-online-regulatory-scheme-is-o
TL;DR Libertarians are not the same as conservatives/Republicans. They're as embarrassed by Cruze's Obamacare for the Internet as pretty much all of we are.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
http://reason.com/24-7/2014/11/11/presidents-online-regulatory-scheme-is-o#comment
Hilarity ensues. Please note:
There is no such thing as a free market and pretending that there is won't free it up.
We can't spend our way to freedom if we don't have spending power.
Corporations will not willingly break themselves up to create consumer choice.
Government has a role in our society, but as our servant, not our master.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
Is this Orwell's Newspeak, or just plain old dumbth?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: anti-big government & zero tolerance
Ideological purity means "extremist."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
I think it must be something in the drinking water.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Why not?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Really disappointed w/ Cruz
Really really disappointed.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Net Neutrality False Flag
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not partisan
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not partisan
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Not partisan
Obama wants this but the man HE SELECTED to decide this doesn't.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Not partisan
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Not partisan
Have you seen how quick local shills are to jump to the defense of corporations when they fuck up? "Left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing" and all that?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Give something, take something
He probably hoping that people will get happy enough about this that they'll forget to be mad about the other.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Give something, take something
I think these last two years are going to be the most telling of his presidency. He has a real opportunity to make a few key things right, and doing so will help determine whether he actually meant the things he campaigned on or he was just a brilliant liar and panderer.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Give something, take something
Oh nonsense. What he did so far was quite contraproductive regarding the votes he could hope to gather with that, so he has less rather than more reason to behave honorably.
The powers that be don't mind a Democratic president as long as he is in their pocket. They don't assassinate presidents because they might get reelected but because they might stop behaving themselves.
Now that Obama does not need to look after voters any more, retiring peacefully with a big stack of cash will be more rather than less on his mind.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Give something, take something
It's like John said in the parent, he's trying to score some points by taking that position. According to your theory he wouldn't even bother because he's just fantasizing out his stack of cash.
How do you know he's not making some kind of attempt at redemption? Do you have a crystal ball?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Give something, take something
But he does.
Obama is a party man, and he cares a great deal about how the Democrats will do in the next presidential election.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
"...no idea who 'Roslyn Layton' is..."
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
the Oatmeal is nice, but I like this better:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Not all wrong
Title II is not an optimal solution for the current problem with ISPs and network neutrality. Unfortunately, it appears to be the best solution that can be readily implemented in the current time frame.
Perhaps we should take a longer look for this issue. Title II reclassification is a reasonable short term solution, but we will still have systemic problems with the ISP structure in this country, which mainly stem from the lack of players in the market and overall lack of competition. In my opinion, this lack of competition is the root of the net neutrality issue.
Even if title II reclassification happens, I think that we will still be left paying too much for substandard service. We need a solution that will deal with this issue, and I'm not sure what the solution will be.
What I know is that we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture in pushing for immediate term actions. We cannot afford to win the battle while we lose the war, not with something as critical as the open internet. We must engage in the longer term war of improving competition, lowering barriers to entry, and ensuring an open and neutral internet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Our Society Is full Of Sheep
take here in Oregon and the GMO debate those for the labeling only spent 7mil those against spent over 25mil guess who won, you guessed it the fear mongers with the deep pockets did.
o well who wants to know if that steak is from a real cow or a laboratory.I for one DO
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Obamacare for the Internet?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Until that happens, net neutrality can't possibly be considered Obama Care for the Internet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Goodbye
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Goodbye
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Express Toll
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Express Toll
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Express Toll
I have no idea what you're talking about but it was surely entertaining. Wow.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
While I cannot vouch that other authors having different views are necessarily any better, at least I have found a few others who appear to be trying to articulate in an easily understood manner why they subscribe to approaches that do not represent what is being openly advocated here, and they do so in a manner that is largely devoid of snarky cheap shots at anyone who may harbor an opinion that differs from them. In short, they present information that appears to be quite relevant and convinces me that things are not as obvious and simple as you would have your readership believe.
Who makes the better arguments? I honestly do not know because I am still trying to assimilate a large amount of information. I do believe, however, that what people such as, inter alia, Chis Neuman, Geoffrey Manne, and Joshua Steimle are trying to do is inform, as opposed to propagandize.
If you truly want to help people understand what is taking place (and believe that your views are the far superior ones), then it seems to me you would want to provide them and others with similar views an equal opportunity for their views to be heard here and discussed respectfully and thoughtfully. Anything less and articles appearing here are nothing more that desired outcomes supported with cherry-picked information that all too often conveys non-objective data.
Frankly, I would enjoy a face to face debate involving persons such as you with your take on NN and persons such as them with their take.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
The debate is over.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re:
we create bubbles to keep disease out and lost its immunity for the same reason.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
People looking silly? But...
I disagree. The more people look "silly" with their outrageous claims, the more laypeople will believe them. After all, which sounds better on the 11:00 news:
"President allows expansion of Title II to provide more net neutrality" (boring)
or
"Net neutrality will turn the US into Russia or China" (alarmist and click-baiting)
It doesn't matter if the second statement isn't true or if the details will be explained later in the story: this headline is all people will see or hear.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: People looking silly? But...
Liberal: Obama frees internet, saves world
Conservative: Obama strangles internet, turns US into China
Cat lovers: Meow-bama can has internets?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
http://reason.com/archives/2014/11/12/net-neutrality-is-a-lousy-idea
http://reason.com/archi ves/2014/05/26/net-neutrality-dont-let-the-fcc-control
It seems to me that the risks and downsides of net neutrality outweigh any potential benefits. Most arguments in favor of net neutrality I've read seem to have too much faith in regulatory agencies like the FCC to handle something as complex as the internet responsibly and intelligently. Until I see any major and tangible harm coming from allowing ISPs to vary their speeds based on content, I'd be extremely hesitant to give regulators any more power.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
Their assumption is the industry is a free market and the big players aren't mono/duopolies. Neither of these are true.
In most of north America, customers have one or two possible providers, if any. The industry is hardly a free market. The *opolists have bought protectionist laws that prohibit competition from counterparts or startups. State laws insist on referendums for cities who want to do municipal infrastructure despite the *opolists having no intention of rolling out their own there.
Guess who runs the agency that regulates this. A former lobbyist for the telcos.
Reason's now a slut in my eyes. A whore. Apologies to sluts and whores. They provide far better service. If this is what it means to be libertarian, I'm going back to calling myself a classical liberal. The word's now as valueless as liberal and conservative.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
If a freer and more robust internet is the goal, why not target the anti-competitive laws and regulations and attack the problem at the root?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
What part of "the agency that's run by a former lobbyist" didn't you understand?
I would love to rip it all out and start over with a level playing field. I despise corps getting cozy with government to stick it to consumers. Unfortunately, that's what we have to work with today. My plan ("rip it all out and start over") isn't going to happen in my lifetime, so we're left with mitigating the damage and holding the rightsholders (in effect) to account.
"The market" has been corrupted and hamstrung via regulatory capture. IF the regulators have any power to make this mess work for consumers, that's where we should look for redress. If it still can't be fixed in consumers interest, perhaps emigration, or revolution, is the only solution.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
Is your understanding of the situation limited to "more regulation" vs "less regulation", or can you see that it's actually a matter of which regulations will be in place?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: What about stronger arguments against Net Neutrality?
That one had two main points, one that the free market should decide, which given the state of competition in the broadband market is a bad joke. And secondly, that if we give the federal government more regulatory authority, the broadband companies will cooperate more with the completely unrelated parts of the federal governments' spying efforts. I don't see how it's possible for them to cooperate more than the giving them everything they want every time they ask that we have now, so I'm not too concerned about that fear.
He also pretends that nothing bad has happened yet, ignoring Comcast's and Verizon's bad actions that have already occurred.
http://reason.com/archi ves/2014/05/26/net-neutrality-dont-let-the-fcc-control
"Goodbye fast-moving innovation and adjustment to changing technology on the part of companies, hello regulatory morass and long, drawn-out bureaucratic hassles."
What country is he talking about, because that doesn't sound familiar to me. This guy also claims that nothing has happened yet.
He points out that the FCC basically tried to strangle cable TV while not really explaining why. It seems the most likely explanation is regulatory capture. The old guard didn't like the new guys and tried to used the FCC to shut them down. How does that play into the current debate?
"(many of the strongest proponents for net neutrality represent bandwidth-hogging companies and services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Skype that ISPs would likely hit up for extra fees)."
Why is it necessary to use the loaded term "hogging", which indicates that they're using more than their fair share when in fact they're delivering what ISP customers are asking for? Why not use the neutral term "bandwidth-intensive"?
"But if Netflix is increasing demand for bandwidth "
Wrong - customers are increasing demand.
"why shouldn’t an ISP tap them for extra money to build more capacity or help in managing it?"
If there were strong competition in this market, that would be no problem. Then ISPs could choose how to deal with Netflix, and customers could choose which ISP to use. With the situation we have now, the big ISPs have the ability to extort content providers even when there's no reason they can't easily and quickly accommodate the demands of the traffic.
"If letting a thousand flowers bloom online is a good idea (and it is), there’s no clear reason that ISPs offering fixed and mobile Internet access shouldn’t be allowed to experiment and innovate too when it comes to accessing and managing the Internet."
Choking off Netflix traffic until they pay up is innovative?
I didn't read page 2.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Who is John Galt?
http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/us/mark-cuban-brutalizes-obama-with-twitter-rant-on-an-issue -that-impacts-every-american
[ link to this | view in chronology ]