I seem to recall a time, in the early 20th century, when the US experimented with handing over an entire industry to gangs, and then had a gang problem.
I'm trying to remember... oh yeah! It was Prohibition!
Given how that turned out, maybe we shouldn't try it again.
For people that don't have a work need for SMS messages, it might make sense to cut out the various coping methods and simply turn them off at the wireless account level.
If someone needs to get a hold of me, they can call (haha), GChat (whatever it's called this week), Discord, Skype, FB message, or something else I probably had to get for that once person.
Those services don't spam people with mass messages, so that's all I use.
Why are there licenses and fees of any kind at all?
Isn't the entire point of the NCAA that sportsmanship and education are above all? That's why the players (students) don't get paid, right? The universities involved don't make much either - it goes towards maintaining their sports departments.
So there shouldn't be any money involved in the first place to be concerned about.
After all, if any of this was in any way big money, the players should be getting some of it...
It's darkly hilarious that the DMCA, long derided for being terrible for almost everyone, it so behind the times that it's better than any new legislation we could hope for today.
If only the media had passed more "1990's style evil" laws back in the day - we'd have more media freedoms now.
Re: Re: And so the darknet gains traction in the EU...
The Darknets will certainly be a thing... but this really will restrict media consumption in the EU. You can maximize profits but that tends to shrink the market.
In completely unrelated news, I subscribed to World of Warcraft Classic the other day and find myself watching no television at all...
While it's bad that CableCARD was completely killed off, it was too difficult for most people to get working already.
The FCC is, in a weird way, helping people transition to streaming services. Which might seem helpful but won't be in the longer term as many in the US get Internet service from cable providers.
I've recently started to realize that streaming providers like Netflix are transitional, in that television-style programming is on the way out, no matter how it reaches your eyeballs.
Fortunately so, as it seems clear that Cable providers will simply take the fees in another way once cord-cutting is complete.
Rampant over-use of the Red Scare by, well, pretty much everyone, for reasons that don't stand up to much scrutiny, have blunted this threat pretty well.
In other words, I'm glad that Sci-Hub wasn't accused of something that more people would actually pay attention to.
That's not the only strange thing that they're saying.
So, the idea is that when Millenials buy houses they'll subscribe to cable?
Well, they won't be subscribing to cable for anything except Internet access in any case, but how is a group of people drowning in student debt and childless because of lack of steady income going to get a mortgage?
(This is a subset of the "FU, Pay Me, except people under 30 literally can't afford to" argument that's going to apply to more and more things in the future)
That's not even the problem. There's a reason that the free market can't work here: communication cables are a natural monopoly - it doesn't make sense for each provider to run their own.
As a result, Internet access is effectively a Utility and needs to be regulated by one. Well, either that or turn over all of the physical cable networks to the (state) government, but that has clear downsides.
Re: 'prohibits transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat'
"True Threat" / "Hate Speech" laws are generally incompatible with the First Amendment, so you have to expect legal gyrations when they are drafted / decided on.
On the post: OnlyPrudes: OnlyFans, The Platform For Sexually Explicit Content, Says No More Sexually Explicit Content (Except For Nudes)
Didn't we a;ready learn about this?
I seem to recall a time, in the early 20th century, when the US experimented with handing over an entire industry to gangs, and then had a gang problem.
I'm trying to remember... oh yeah! It was Prohibition!
Given how that turned out, maybe we shouldn't try it again.
On the post: Wireless Industry Eyes Nontransparent 'Trust Score' To Determine Who Can Market Via Text Message
Re: Do Not Disturb
For people that don't have a work need for SMS messages, it might make sense to cut out the various coping methods and simply turn them off at the wireless account level.
If someone needs to get a hold of me, they can call (haha), GChat (whatever it's called this week), Discord, Skype, FB message, or something else I probably had to get for that once person.
Those services don't spam people with mass messages, so that's all I use.
On the post: EA College Sports Is Back, But Some Schools Are Opting Out Until Name, Image, Likeness Rules Are Created To Compensate Athletes
Re: NIL
I really don't understand any of this.
Why are there licenses and fees of any kind at all?
Isn't the entire point of the NCAA that sportsmanship and education are above all? That's why the players (students) don't get paid, right? The universities involved don't make much either - it goes towards maintaining their sports departments.
So there shouldn't be any money involved in the first place to be concerned about.
After all, if any of this was in any way big money, the players should be getting some of it...
On the post: Reform The DMCA? OK, But Only If It's Done Really, Really Carefully
Re: Nope
It's darkly hilarious that the DMCA, long derided for being terrible for almost everyone, it so behind the times that it's better than any new legislation we could hope for today.
If only the media had passed more "1990's style evil" laws back in the day - we'd have more media freedoms now.
On the post: Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt
Will Cable News got the way of Local Newspapers?
It's going to be interesting to see what happens to media interaction rates once Trump isn't sucking all the air out of the room.
I'm wondering if the news will suffer in the transfer back to normality.
On the post: Copyright Companies Want Memes That Are Legal In The EU Blocked Because They Now Admit Upload Filters Are 'Practically Unworkable'
Re: Re: And so the darknet gains traction in the EU...
The Darknets will certainly be a thing... but this really will restrict media consumption in the EU. You can maximize profits but that tends to shrink the market.
In completely unrelated news, I subscribed to World of Warcraft Classic the other day and find myself watching no television at all...
On the post: EA To Rebrand Its Origin Platform As It Bows Out Of The PC Gaming Platform Wars
I kept my promise
I always said that when ME:3 came out on Steam, I'd buy it and play it. I never thought it would happen, but it did, and I did.
Hell, I bought DA:3 too, even though I own a useless box I got on Amazon years ago that required Origin to install.
No reason not to encourage EA for doing the right thing.
That said, you still need an Origin account (currently) to play the games, so it's not completely gone yet. I can only hope.
On the post: FCC Formally Kills Rules That Would Have Brought Competition To The Cable Box
It will all work out!
While it's bad that CableCARD was completely killed off, it was too difficult for most people to get working already.
The FCC is, in a weird way, helping people transition to streaming services. Which might seem helpful but won't be in the longer term as many in the US get Internet service from cable providers.
I've recently started to realize that streaming providers like Netflix are transitional, in that television-style programming is on the way out, no matter how it reaches your eyeballs.
Fortunately so, as it seems clear that Cable providers will simply take the fees in another way once cord-cutting is complete.
On the post: Traditional TV Enters Its Final Death Spiral
Re: Re: Elephant in the room -- the picture is much too rosy!
I don't think we need to worry about streaming services going the way of Satellite TV.
It's simple economics - people can't afford to pay a lot any more.
One way, or another, people won't be paying. You can't squeeze blood from a stone.
On the post: Academic Publishers Get Their Wish: DOJ Investigating Sci-Hub Founder For Alleged Ties To Russian Intelligence
In a weird way, this is a good thing.
Rampant over-use of the Red Scare by, well, pretty much everyone, for reasons that don't stand up to much scrutiny, have blunted this threat pretty well.
In other words, I'm glad that Sci-Hub wasn't accused of something that more people would actually pay attention to.
On the post: Tracking College Students Everywhere They Go On Campus Is The New Normal
I can't believe this actually works.
I'm not sure how many minutes it took for these students to nominate "designated cellphone carriers", but it couldn't have been many.
If they are really sophisticated they'd even make sure that no one carried more than two, to spoof any somewhat-accurate identity tracking attempts.
On the post: Teespring Takes Down Our Copying Is Not Theft Gear, Refuses To Say Why
I guess they hate sales?
So the company I only know exists because of TechDirt is no longer selling TechDirt mech.
Good job, TeeSpring. I guess you hate money, which is good because you're no longer getting any of mine.
On the post: Shocker: Study Finds Cord Cutting Very Real, TV Execs Still Failing To Adapt
Re: 60% in 2030?
So, the idea is that when Millenials buy houses they'll subscribe to cable?
Well, they won't be subscribing to cable for anything except Internet access in any case, but how is a group of people drowning in student debt and childless because of lack of steady income going to get a mortgage?
(This is a subset of the "FU, Pay Me, except people under 30 literally can't afford to" argument that's going to apply to more and more things in the future)
On the post: Utterly Tone Deaf To Cord Cutting, Cable Contract Feuds And Blackouts Skyrocket
Re: Re: government-backed monopolies
As a result, Internet access is effectively a Utility and needs to be regulated by one. Well, either that or turn over all of the physical cable networks to the (state) government, but that has clear downsides.
On the post: Appeals Court Reinstates 'True Threat' Conviction Supreme Court Overturned, Still No Answers On First Amendment
Re: 'prohibits transmitting in interstate commerce a communication containing a threat'
On the post: Appeals Court Reinstates 'True Threat' Conviction Supreme Court Overturned, Still No Answers On First Amendment
Re: I see a pattern here
Congress makes laws, not the Supremes. Three branches and all that.
On the post: Israeli Lawmakers Pushing Mandatory, Default ISP Porn Filtering Because That Always Works So Well
Side note: In Judaism, parents are responsible for their children (in every way) until they are adults (at 13).
On the post: The Internet Of Poorly Secured Things Is Fueling Unprecedented, Massive New DDoS Attacks
Gentlemen, start your firewalls!
It's sad its come to that.
On the post: Canadian Cablecos Dodge Government Demand For Cheaper TV Bundles -- By Hiding Them From Consumers
You can lead a horse to water...
If the cable providers don't agree with the spirit of the rules, they will just go out of business faster.
You can't force someone to accept help.
On the post: Time Warner Eyes Hulu Stake, Wants Service To Remove Current Seasons Of Shows
Go for it TW!
The lost Hulu revenue and lost ratings are just bonuses.
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