The Return of Net Neutrality

its a big deal
john oliver explains (language)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vuuZt7wak


the john oliver clip is 20 minutes.

i know thats a lot so here is a shorter video from democracy now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iorQ2DowJAg

Watched this last night. Very important, and even more scary that these rules are even up for debate.

Non-videoy Cliff Notes please?

net neu·tral·i·ty
noun
the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_neutrality
Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers and governments regulating the Internet should treat all data on the Internet the same, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication.

https://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now
When you go online you have certain expectations. You expect to be connected to whatever website you want. You expect that your cable or phone company isn’t messing with the data and is connecting you to all websites, applications and content you choose. You expect to be in control of your internet experience.

When you use the internet you expect Net Neutrality.

Net Neutrality is the basic principle that prohibits internet service providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon from speeding up, slowing down or blocking any content, applications or websites you want to use. Net Neutrality is the way that the internet has always worked.

In 2015, millions of activists pressured the Federal Communications Commission to adopt historic Net Neutrality rules that keep the internet free and open — allowing you to share and access information of your choosing without interference.

But right now this win is in jeopardy: The Trump administration and new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai want to destroy Net Neutrality."

---

the net netrality laws that were passed a few years back were meant to keep all internet open and equal and prevent isp's from creating pay-based "lanes"

cable companies want to create a "slow lane" for the internet and put customers in it by default. then if you pay more they will upgrade you to the faster lane. unless you go to websites of their competitors, in which case youre back in the slow lane or you just cant access the content.

---

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/05/08/john-oliver-net-neutrality-last-week-tonight-ajit-pai/101422806/

Back in 2014, John Oliver recruited his fans to help save the internet. Now he's asking for their help again.

The Last Week Tonight host once again addressed net neutrality in Sunday's episode, the topic which helped launch his show in its fifth episode three years ago (even Oliver admits the segment got a "weird amount of attention"). Back then, Oliver explained what was at stake in the debate over net neutrality -- the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) should give consumers access to all legal content and applications on an equal basis, without favoring some sources or blocking others. He encouraged fans to comment on the Federal Communications Commission's website in favor of net neutrality rules -- and they went on to crash the site in the process.

Oliver is bringing it up again because, he says, "once again, net neutrality is in trouble," under the Trump administration.
"It seems that the Trump era will basically control-Z everything that happened on Obama's watch," Oliver said by way of introduction. "I genuinely would not be surprised if one night Trump went on TV just to tell us that he personally killed every turkey that Obama ever pardoned."

The host poked fun at new FCC chairman Ajit Pai, a former lawyer for Verizon, who Oliver notes likes to tweet quotes from The Big Lebowski and has a giant Reese's Peanut Butter Cups novelty mug that he uses during press conferences, and who, as Oliver showed in the clip, has said that the Obama-era net neutrality regulations' "days are numbered."

"So sadly, it seems once more we the people must take the matter into our own hands," Oliver said. "Because the FCC are again going to invite public comment on their website — and conveniently for them, the process is actually a lot more complicated this time than it was three years ago."

After describing the complicated process someone would go through to comment on the issue, Oliver helpfully mentioned that the show had created the URL "gofccyourself.com," which takes you more directly to the page to leave a comment.

“Do not tell me you do not have time to do this,” Oliver implored his fans. “If the internet is evidence of anything else, it’s evidence that we all have too much time on our hands.”

However, last week during an interview with NPR, Pai deflected the question of whether public opinion could sway the FCC to maintain the current rules. “We have to make a decision based on what is called substantial evidence. That is the aim that we have under this FCC, is to make sure that we proceed in a way that preserves the free and open Internet and preserves that incentive to invest in networks. Those are the twin goals we are going to be focused on,” he said.

the part i bolded is the FCC basically saying #&#@ YOU, WE'RE DOING IT ANYWAY"



https://fortune.com/2017/04/01/trump-net-neutrality/

www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now
When you go online you have certain expectations. You expect to be connected to whatever website you want. You expect that your cable or phone company isn’t messing with the data and is connecting you to all websites, applications and content you choose. You expect to be in control of your internet experience.

When you use the internet you expect Net Neutrality.

It'd be nice, but I don't know if I've ever expected it.
I can't get onto certain...ideological websites....

Heck, time was I could not go to the DARPA website from a Non-US IP address. (I believe this may have changed?)

Now that's a decision by DARPA rather than my ISP, but the end result is the same - My access to information is limited.

I certainly don't think that ISPs should be able to give "preferential" treatment to say, the coca cola website, because they're getting kickbacks from our friends at Coca Cola (Drink Cola! It's refreshing, delicious, and helps focus your Jedi Powers! Obi-Wan would!)

I....like freedom....
It is abused though. Far too many people are too stupid to be allowed to
A. Have opinions and let them be published to the world.
B. Read all of the worlds opinions.

As always, the line between protecting and imprisoning people is a hard one to walk....


Finally...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo

EDIT: DAMNIT! My whole edit just got wiped.

Bugger Net Neutrality, how about just reliable internet connection. Bloody Australian ISPs!!! You suck!

This is a very important subject, even for the world, because there are already governments that limit/censor the internet for their people. That level of control should be fought against. An ISP being able to control what you have access to via throttling your speed simply allows those with money to control what everyone is exposed to. There is already so much of this control in our everyday lives; especially in politics. The internet is a realm of freedom that balances to a large degree, the control of corporations. It's easy to think not care when you don't think something will affect you but it there's no guarantee that it wont. Maybe Disney will buy up a controlling share in your ISP just so that it can control the content you receive. They can say that they're doing it to protect their IPs but what if you suddenly couldn't access TOTJO?

John Oliver created this link to tell the FCC what you think. It may not work yet but it will as soon as the FCC starts accepting public comments again.
https://www.gofccyourself.com/