Major Push
The Internet Defense League is making a major push on the proposed changes to the Net Neutrality rules by the FCC. They feel certain that the telecoms are going to start spending major money for lobbyists and advertising to push back against the opposition to what they want to do.
In addition to the encampment at the FCC headquarters in Washington, the IDL has developed code for people to use that will slow down sites to simulate what the ‘Net will act like if the FCC allows the telecoms to establish a two tier system – one for those able and willing to pay, and a second for the rest of us.
If the telecoms would spend the money to increase the available bandwidth, everyone would benefit, but they want to milk their current systems.
4 comments
A two tier system would not be so bad if the upper tier was optional and could be totally suppressed by people on the other tier. I mean, why should the ISP decide what we should look at.
Exactly, Shirt. This is the type of thing that knocked AOL out of its once dominate position – people wanted to look at the entire ‘Net, not the limited area that AOL approve of.
You wonder when the regulators are going to do something that benefits the users/customers, rather than the corporations?
A couple of decades ago, when the ‘net was relatively new, it was America’s signature technological achievement: the signpost of a society justly proud of a century of technologically spectacular accomplishments.
Now, I can only hope, but not expect, that the FCC and a few other three-letter agencies remember the physician’s motto:
First, do no harm…
The regulators motto would seem to be: Guarantee My Next Job.