For those who haven't heard, the FCC has recently announced a plan to essentially kill network neutrality. With regulatory endorsement, it's hard to imagine ever getting it back. This is the first time I'm doing a petition like this, or trying any sort of advocacy of this nature, but the FCC's conduct here is so flagrantly corrupt, and what they're trying to destroy is something that I see as so very valuable, that I feel like I have to do something.
I'll quote the text of the petition:
Title Reclassify Internet broadband providers as common carriers.
We have benefited enormously from the egalitarian way in which the Internet treats information regardless of type or source, some of the most successful companies in America owe their existence this feature, but the FCC has failed to establish it as policy. Now the FCC has proposed a system that allows broadband providers to discriminate amongst Internet traffic, ensuring special treatment for companies and services of their choosing, the opposite of the neutral Internet that has existed so far. When the court vacated the FCC's weak rules on traffic discrimination in January, the judge gave a specific instruction on how they could ensure a neutral Internet within the boundaries of the law: reclassify Internet broadband providers as "common carriers." We are petitioning for just that.
There are a couple of criticisms that I can think of which could possibly be going through your head here: this is a Whitehouse petition but the president does not control the FCC, and can not order them to do anything. And: Whitehouse.gov petitions have had rather inconsistent impact.
These are both valid points, but the important thing here is establishing that people care about this. A lot of people. The president can't order the FCC around, but congress can and it is possible for very public expression by enough people to sway congress. Even with Comcast lining their pockets on the other side.
Here is the short link to the petition: http://wh.gov/lfaP6
and the longer link: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reclassi fy-internet-broadband-providers-common-carriers/4M rqLTlV
(For some reason, they give you two. Either one will work.)
Tell your friends!
(Score: 1) by tomp on Saturday April 26 2014, @09:49PM
While the president doesn't control the FCC, he does appoint the people who control the FCC. If the president was convinced that net neutrality was important, it could affect his choice of commissioners.
Hopefully, a petition can help convince the president that net neutrality is important.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by hash14 on Saturday April 26 2014, @10:31PM
Obama has failed or lied on every promise he made to those who voted for him. He claimed that he would solve the problems that lobbyists were causing for the United Status when he was campaigning in 2008 and now he has hired the worst sort of lobbyist to one of the most corrupt agencies in the Federal government.
At this point, all I can really say is that I have to question whether the US should continue operating as a "democracy" given the disgusting nature of their politicians and their lack of honesty, integrity and accountability.
(Score: 2) by demonlapin on Sunday April 27 2014, @12:33AM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 27 2014, @04:00AM
It's not operating as a Democracy (or a Rebuplic). It's operating as a Plutocracy. Heck, there was even a recent study that pretty much proved this. So don't worry about it, it's already been decided by are betters (richers anyway).
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 26 2014, @09:57PM
Here is another petition, which is farther along. Might as well sign both.n -true-net-neutrality-protect-freedom-information-u nited-states/9sxxdBgy [whitehouse.gov]
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/maintai
(Score: 1) by Theophrastus on Saturday April 26 2014, @11:46PM
done and done. also wrote my congress-critters. (one of whom says they will be specifically pushing the FCC on this issue (well...we'll see))
still, it's hard not to be very fatalistic about these corporate/oligarchy versus the people issues. our distant cries in the wilderness versus their$ on k-$treet.
good on you-all for trying!
(Score: 2) by black6host on Sunday April 27 2014, @08:05AM
>>good on you-all for trying!
One of the reasons I come here, instead of other sites, is because the grammar is much better here. And you blew it! The correct word is "y'all". (j/k)
Now get off my lawn and watch those cars up on blocks on your way out!
(Score: 2) by moo kuh on Saturday April 26 2014, @09:59PM
He can play his trump card, the executive order. I would say this counts as an emergency because of the important role the internet has in modern society.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/executive_power [cornell.edu]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Nerdfest on Saturday April 26 2014, @10:30PM
Isn't the head of the FCC appointed? Perhaps the criminal can be removed.
(Score: 3, Informative) by cornholed on Saturday April 26 2014, @10:27PM
In 2008 Obama was not in favor of gay marriage and look what they did to him.
(Score: 3, Informative) by broken on Saturday April 26 2014, @11:15PM
The difference is the timing and the message that gets sent to the politicians. This petition is clearly a response to the recent policy changes of the FCC. If this petition quickly gets to the 100k threshold, this will communicate to the politicians that the people don't like what the FCC is currently doing.
Although it would be unsurprising to see the white house dismiss the message of this petition like they did the last, the timing and even duplicate nature of this petition could possibly have some effect. I'm not holding my breath, though.
(Score: 4, Funny) by isostatic on Sunday April 27 2014, @12:31AM
The invisible hand of capitalism will right the ship's course. ISPs are private businesses and will charge what they want, others will compete and give customers the choice, and the market will decide.
(Score: 2) by tathra on Sunday April 27 2014, @02:01AM
bahahahahah! boy, capitalism really is today's religion, isnt it? have faith! ye god, the invisible hand, will fix everything!
i dont know about you, but in my area, i only have one choice of ISP. when can i expect capitalism to come save the day? it sure is taking its sweet time, having more than 20 years so far to set up another choice.
rather than doing a petition in a system that has been proven to be worthless, i suggest doing something productive, like working on building a mesh network [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 1) by DIMT on Sunday April 27 2014, @03:51AM
Capitalism really isn't really at fault directly, unless you include influencing government regulation to be a capitalist action. Most areas are regulated such that competition is not able to come to the underserved area to compete at all. Telecoms have the worst of both worlds for competition, there is both a nontrivial initial expense to get into the market, and there is a miniscule chance that you will every be able to run your wires to customers due to government.
(Score: 2) by isostatic on Monday April 28 2014, @06:27AM
So you think it will be easier to negotiate with 100 different land owners, all of whom can be the last hold out?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bradley13 on Sunday April 27 2014, @06:38AM
The real question is: why does anyone take these Whitehouse petitions seriously?
These were put in place as a lightning rod: Give people a place to vent, so they can pretend someone actually cares. If a petition actually gets a decent number of signatures, answer it with bland generalities.
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 2) by AnonTechie on Sunday April 27 2014, @07:23AM
Quite true ... Is there any evidence that such petitions have ever been successful in changing the administration's decisions on any matter of policy ?
Albert Einstein - "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
(Score: 2) by tibman on Sunday April 27 2014, @03:37PM
I've only seen one, from the US Army: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/immediat ely-halt-cruel-and-unnecessary-use-monkeys-army-ch emical-casualty-management-training/tt2v2mc6 [whitehouse.gov]
It looks like a complete lack of any politicians involved.
SN won't survive on lurkers alone. Write comments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 27 2014, @04:03PM
this is just a scape-goat to "explain" why the internet is slow when it goes thru the overwhelmed state of ...utah.