MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE
by Michael Wolraich
Order today at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop
MURDER, POLITICS, AND THE END OF THE JAZZ AGE by Michael Wolraich Order today at Barnes & Noble / Amazon / Books-A-Million / Bookshop |
As others have warned, the two-tiered system isn't the most important outrage of the leaked (ha ha) FCC plans: it's this:
"For many Americans -- particularly those who live in rural areas -- the future of the Internet lies in mobile services. But the draft Order would effectively permit Internet providers to block lawful content, applications, and devices on mobile Internet connections.
Mobile networks like AT&T and Verizon Wireless would be able to shut off your access to content or applications for any reason. For instance, Verizon could prevent you from accessing Google Maps on your phone, forcing you to use their own mapping program, Verizon Navigator, even if it costs money to use and isn't nearly as good. Or a mobile provider with a political agenda could prevent you from downloading an app that connects you with the Obama campaign (or, for that matter, a Tea Party group in your area).
It gets worse. The FCC has never before explicitly allowed discrimination on the Internet -- but the draft Order takes a step backwards, merely stating that so-called "paid prioritization" (the creation of a "fast lane" for big corporations who can afford to pay for it) is cause for concern.
It sure is -- but that's exactly why the FCC should ban it. Instead, the draft Order would have the effect of actually relaxing restrictions on this kind of discrimination.
What's more, even the protections that are established in the draft Order would be weak because it defines "broadband Internet access service" too narrowly, making it easy for powerful corporations to get around the rules.
Here's what's most troubling of all. Chairman Genachowski and President Obama -- who nominated him -- have argued convincingly that they support net neutrality."
Read more at the link; tomorrow the FCC will meet to discuss the proposal.
Comments
Fast lanes. How Quaint.
by Richard Day on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 10:49am
Washington Post editorial, December 17:
A free and open Internet
GIVE JULIUS GENACHOWSKI credit for doggedly pursuing his quest to keep the Internet free and open. Unfortunately, we believe that his latest plan for doing so, which he introduced last month, is still flawed....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR201012...
New York Times editorial, December 17:
Protecting the Internet
The intensely competitive nature of the Internet is vital to the American economy and democracy. So we worry that rules proposed this month by Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to guarantee the Internet’s openness may not be able to guarantee the survival of that competition....
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/opinion/18sat2.html
by artappraiser on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 11:46am
"Give it to Congress"; eeeek!
by we are stardust on Mon, 12/20/2010 - 12:13pm