The Same FCC That Ignored Science To Kill Net Neutrality Has Created An 'Office Of Economics & Analysis'
from the fake-science-is-the-best-science dept
You'll recall that the FCC ignored the public, the people who built the internet, and all objective data as it rushed to repeal net neutrality at Verizon, Comcast and AT&T's behest. Things got so absurd during the proceeding, the FCC at one point was directing reporters who had questions regarding the FCC's shaky justifications to telecom industry lobbyists, who were more than happy to molest data until it "proved" FCC assertions on this front (most notably the false claim that net neutrality killed sector investment):
"During a conference call FCC officials held with reporters last week, I asked about this discrepancy between Pai's assertion that investment is declining and what the actual data shows. The officials dismissed my question, saying I had my facts wrong. But they didn't offer any data that would prove Pai's argument.
Reached later, an FCC representative pointed to the USTelecom data (posted above) that Pai previously referenced. The representative declined to make the chairman or anyone else on his staff available for an interview."
With that as a backdrop, it's rather amusing to see the FCC this week hyping the creation of a new "Office of Economics and Analytics." This office, the FCC declares, will be focused on helping to ensure "that economic analysis is deeply and consistently incorporated" into the FCC's regular operations:
"The Federal Communications Commission today voted to create an FCC Office of Economics and Analytics. This new unit will help ensure that economic analysis is deeply and consistently incorporated as part of the agency’s regular operations. The Office of Economics and Analytics will use existing staff resources by bringing into one office FCC economists, attorneys, and data professionals who work on economic analysis, data policy and management, and research."
FCC staffers were quick to highlight the office's creation as a major paradigm shift and a return to "big picture policy thinking":
"I also look forward to reigniting the culture of big-picture policy thinking that used to be so common among economists at the FCC." @AjitPaiFCC #FCCLive
— @NathanLeamerFCC (@nathanleamerfcc) January 30, 2018
In an ideal world, this would be something to applaud the FCC for, since it has a long, proud history of using industry-provided data to justify federal apathy to the limited competition inherent in the broken telecom market. Real-world data has always inherently frightened incumbent ISPs like Comcast, since it shows how a lack of competition in countless markets is the primary reason American broadband suffers from high prices, historically awful customer service, and net neutrality violations (which themselves are just another symptom of limited competition).
The former FCC under agency head Tom Wheeler had actually taken some uncharacteristically-concrete steps on that front, including redefining broadband more realistically at 25 Mbps downstream, 3 Mbps upstream (something ISPs and their loyal lawmakers whined incessantly over). The FCC had also been working hard on basing policy decisions based on real world data provided by consumer routers with custom firmware, instead of its long-standing history of blindly taking ISPs' word at the speeds they deliver consumers.
But Ajit Pai and Trump's FCC is an entirely different animal.
Ajit Pai's agency has shown time and time again that its interest in "objective data" consists of blindly parroting "research" by ISP economists, hired specifically to molest the numbers until they justify the agency's frontal assault on consumer protections and meaningful sector oversight. Pai himself has similarly parroted all manner of falsehoods as he rushed to axe net neutrality, from claims that net neutrality emboldens dictators in Iran and North Korea, to the claim the U.S.' modest neutrality rules utterly devastated sector investment (disproven by SEC filings, earnings reports, and countless CEO statements).
So yeah, ideally you'd hope this office is used to make sure genuine, objective data is used to fuel agency decisions. But based on the last year's worth of behavior by Pai, it seems much more likely that the office will simply be used to industrialize the act of using telecom lobbying data to justify federal apathy to the lack of competition in the U.S. broadband market. Perhaps we can start a Techdirt pool on which outcome is the most likely?
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: ajit pai, data, economics, evidence, fcc, net neutrality
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Too many letters.
The relevant being "anal deeply consistently corporate".
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
these are not equal
"The Same FCC That Ignored Science To Kill Net Neutrality Has Created An 'Office Of Economics & Analysis'"
First sentence
"You'll recall that the FCC ignored the public, the people who built the internet, and all objective data as it rushed to repeal net neutrality at Verizon, Comcast and AT&T's behest."
Well? Did they ignore science or the public? If it was science where is the scientific review? Are you trying to make it look like you don't care about integrity?
We already know the FCC is corrupt and I am sure they would ignore anything including science in their pursuits, but if you feel the need to lie about things that did not happen or did not link to for evidence of that statement to advance your agenda, then you really are not much different than the FCC are you?
Try acting a little more adult about things... it might work even better than lying.... being a "journalist" and all that...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: these are not equal
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Did they ignore science or the public?
They have done both: they have disregarded the facts they didn’t like and disregarded public opinion (living members of the public, anyway).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: these are not equal
Where the assumption of public being against the science is coming from? Would you care to explain?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: deeply and consistently incorporated" into the FCC's regular operations:
Like it was with the SEC in 2008.
How do you know when an economist is lying?
When the check you paid him to lie, hasn't be cashed yet.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
'This economic analysis report sponsored by Comcast. Comcast: Because Screw You.'
But based on the last year's worth of behavior by Pai, it seems much more likely that the office will simply be used to industrialize the act of using telecom lobbying data to justify federal apathy to the lack of competition in the U.S. broadband market. Perhaps we can start a Techdirt pool on which outcome is the most likely?
Yeah, I don't think you'd get many takers willing to put money on that bet. One needs look no further than the last 'advisory group' created by Pai's FCC to know exactly what this one will be used for, with 'providing actual data that might contradict the positions taken by the current FCC' not even remotely in the cards.
Much like the BDAC, I expect this one will also be used to provide whatever 'statistics' will support whatever Pai is claiming at the time, statistics which will be 'helpfully provided' by the very same companies he's serving.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Isn't that the purview of some other agency, FTC possibly.
I though the GOP mantra was remove government bloat, pare down the bureaucracy and cut spending but when ever they get the chance they do the opposite. What they say does not match up with anything they actually do.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I broke the cipher
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: I broke the cipher
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A government run by economists
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: A government run by economists
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: A government run by economists
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: roughly half of them say one thing and the other rough half say the opposite
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Translation
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
New Truth
Pravda: official, public truth, a.k.a, propaganda, bullshit, etc.
Istina: basic, fundamental, unquestionable truth, i.e., reality.
Pai is simply one of the most reliable early-adopters of Commissar Trump's methods.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Maybe the FCC means 'Analysis'
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
responsiblitY..
IF they REALLY SCREW UP, we chop off a head or two..
In some awful way, we have decided that an Apology is better then DOING THE RIGHT THING, in the FIRST PLACE..
We have replaced HONOR with Lies and what?
I was reaised by the ideal that LIVING your life as you SHOULD, is better then asking for FORGIVENESS when you die.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
FCC Lies
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: FCC Lies
There are quite a few governors, AGs, and legislatures doing something about it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]