FCC possibly to repeal "net neutrality" rules.

[Outrider]

Bad news indeed if it happens. 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-internet-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-agency-to-vote-to-repeal-net-neutrality-rules-fcc-chief-idUSKBN1DL21A

Quote

 

FCC chief Ajit Pai, a Republican appointed by President Donald Trump in January, said the commission will vote at a Dec. 14 meeting on his plan to rescind the so-called net neutrality rules championed by Democratic former President Barack Obama that treated internet service providers like public utilities.

The rules barred broadband providers from blocking or slowing down access to content or charging consumers more for certain content. They were intended to ensure a free and open internet, give consumers equal access to web content and prevent broadband service providers from favoring their own content.

The action marks a victory for big internet service providers such as AT&T Inc, Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications Inc that opposed the rules and gives them sweeping powers to decide what web content consumers can get and at what price.

 

 

[iNow]

I, for one, am not a fan of the way this administration seems to define “draining the swamp” and how they approach “watching out for the little guy.” It seems very much that the fox is being actively invited into the henhouse and handed the finest cutlery. 

[MonDie]

SOMEBODY should give some input.  FYI wired.com is very informative, and it seems to be very pro-net-neutrality.

Personally, I do not see what good will come from this repeal.  The loosening of restrictions often has short-term economic benefits, but these FCC regulations are designed to ensure that  internet service providers (ISPs) do not squelch the competition of web platform designers.  In the case of ISP competition, we do not have many ISP choices anyway.  You can get AT&T broadband, Comcast broadband, or a wifi hotspot.  Other options like satellite internet simply aren't cost-efficient unless you live in the middle of nowhere.  Unfortunately I do not know that the limited number of ISPs is attributable to physical constraints upon the Internet infrastructure (see Internet backbone), but I am more concerned about the effects on small programmers.  The fast lanes seem to be another avenue for monopoly because they could create a vicious cycle: some web designers get more business; they make more money; they buy a fast lane with the money; they get more business because their product is in the fast lane.... I can understand why this would be a bigger problem.

Edited December 12, 2017 by MonDie

[Outrider]

https://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now

Quote

Time is running out: The FCC will vote on Pai’s proposal on Dec. 14. Join the millions who have already spoken out against it.

What concerns me is the big corporations are going to have even more control over information flow.

 

[Ten oz]

At the end of the day people choose with their wallets to support big corporations. Those who still pay for companies like Time Warner, Comcast, and etc well enable to problem. It is one thing to complain but another all together to act. A legitimate boycott of services never seems to materialize. Companies caught cheating like Wellsfargo recover. People don't abandon them. People tweet about how terrible big banks are yet continue to use their services rather than local credit unions and what not. End of the day we consumers are greedy as the corporations. We claim to care about issues but ultimately won't sacrifice anything to force change. How many of the millions of people concerned about FCC still give their money willing to  20th Century Fox and Disney? Sure net neutrality matter but god forbid we all miss the now Star Wars movie. 

[MonDie]

ISPs are promising not to, but a subtle blockage might seem accidental.  I recently switched to Tutanota, an encrypted email service, because it supports U2F security, one of various 2FA security standards.  Tutanota just tweeted this.

"Comcast Temporarily Blocks Tutanota. This Shows Why We Have to Fight for Net Neutrality."

https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/comcast-blocks-and-unblocks-tutanota-net-neutrality

Comcast Internet users were unable to access their Tutanota mailbox from Thursday (1st March) afternoon to Friday (2nd March) due to Comcast blocking access to our site. The block lasted for around 18 hours. To date Comcast was not able to tell us why this block has happened.

I was intrigued by this comment regarding customer satisfaction with ISPs.

However, it is competition and great start-ups that fuel the innovation of the Internet. There's a reason why monopolistic companies like ISPs, cable companies and telcos rank at the bottom of customer satisfaction studies - being monopolies they do not pay much attention to what their customers want and need.

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Also, "web platform designers" was poor word-choice.