Obama FCC Caves on Net Neutrality -- Tuesday Betrayal Assured

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Obama FCC Caves on Net Neutrality -- Tuesday Betrayal Assured

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/obama-fcc-caves-on-net-ne_b_799435.html

Timothy Karr

Campaign Director, Free Press and SavetheInternet.com
Posted: December 20, 2010 06:53 PM

Late Monday, a majority of the FCC's commissioners indicated that they're going to vote with Chairman Julius Genachowski for a toothless Net Neutrality rule.

According to all reports, the rule, which will be voted on during tomorrow's FCC meeting, falls drastically short of earlier pledges by President Obama and the FCC Chairman to protect the free and open Internet.

The rule is so riddled with loopholes that it's become clear that this FCC chairman crafted it with the sole purpose of winning the endorsement of AT&T and cable lobbyists, and not defending the interests of the tens of millions of Internet users.

Welcome to AT&T's Internet

For the first time in history of telecommunications law the FCC has given its stamp of approval to online discrimination.

Instead of a rule to protect Internet users' freedom to choose, the Commission has opened the door for broadband payola - letting phone and cable companies charge steep tolls to favor the content and services of a select group of corporate partners, relegating everyone else to the cyber-equivalent of a winding dirt road.

Instead of protecting openness on wireless Internet devices like the iPhone and Droid, the Commission has exempted the mobile Internet from Net Neutrality protections. This move enshrines Verizon and AT&T as gatekeepers to the expanding world of mobile Internet access, allowing them to favor their own applications while blocking, degrading or de-prioritizing others.

Instead of re-establishing the FCC's authority to act as a consumer watchdog over the Internet, it places the agency's authority on a shaky and indefensible legal footing -- giving ultimate control over the Internet to a small handful of carriers.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[liberal N proud]

2. The internet will become the playground of the rich

And the rest will not be able to use it to organize against the rich ruling class.

[DeSwiss]

3. K&R

I see that it's time for "back to business" as usual.

- Surprise, surprise.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. As it is, it is not clear they have the authority to do what is being proposed

The Internet is a collection of private networks that operate on an agreed to set of technical standards. It has never been government owned or operated. It is also not a utility and no one has a right to connectivity. It has been the wild wild west since its inception and pretty much self governing. Other nations have been trying to set up international controls and governance for it, but the US has been actively resisting it.

Its still a big "IF" they have the authority question out there to be answered. Assuming they do, what is about to happen is a step in the right direction.

[EndElectoral]

5. Good god, this is horrendous...C'mon Obama, this is your own admin, not Congress

[Kablooie]

7. Obama is trying to be as great a president as George Bush!

[Raine]

16. He's achieving that and even going beyond

GW on what he's "accomplishing". x(

[BlueIris]

8. It is pitiful, isn't it? nt

[bluethruandthru]

14. It's hard to tell, isn't it? n/t

[Kablooie]

6. So if we aren't rolling in dough our time on DU is coming to a close.

If there was competition it would be one thing but for many of us we only have one choice.

[RKP5637]

10. I think eventually they will manage to effectively close down the internet for any site not

in line with whichever regime is running the country. The masses will be held in line. The tools exist today and are being honed to have complete control of the populace mentally and physically.

[RKP5637]

9. Great, they will manage to F it up and make it another piece of useless crap for most. Somehow

I'm not at all surprised. I expect little anymore. Basically it will be regulated deregulation!

One day I expect to hear, "Hello, this is Corporation X, we have just purchased the entire USA, you are now a member of one of 50 subsidiaries once called States. Here is the corporate mission and charter, and failure to follow the employee rules will result in your immediate termination."

[Imagevision]

11. Does anyone s-t-i-l-l have a problem understanding big business runs this country and always will?

[somone]

12. Another act of monumental destruction, courtesy of Hope & Change

[blogslut]

13. I'll never understand why Obama didn't put Michael Copps in charge of the FCC

:(

[TBF]

15. Shocked - shocked I tell you .... nt

[Imagevision]

17. We can kiss using "The Find" for comparing prices after Internet is regulated...

for openers!

[Scurrilous]

18. Kick

:kick: