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posted by LaminatorX on Tuesday May 13 2014, @03:30PM   Printer-friendly
from the Get-Fired-Up! dept.

On Thursday, May 15, hundreds will rally outside the Federal Communications Commission's headquarters in Washington, D.C., to protest Chairman Wheeler's proposal that has the potential to stop the flow of a free and open Internet. On this same day, thousands of activists, organizations and companies will take action online to save the Internet.

The press release specifies that there are activities slated to begin prior to the FCC's May 15 meeting and following adjournment of the subsequent press conference.

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FCC Pushes ahead Plans for Two-Tiered Internet 31 comments

The FCC today (May 15) voted 3 to 2 to proceed with a dual-tier internet, where big media providers can (must) pay big carriers to stream content faster.

The rules proposed would prevent carriers from blocking or slowing down "certain websites", and non-paid content must be provided at the same rate the subscriber paid for, or at least not arbitrarily slowed down or blocked.

After weeks of public outcry over the proposal, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said the agency would not allow for unfair, or "commercially unreasonable" business practices. He wouldn't accept, for instance, practices that leave a consumer with slower downloads of some Web sites than what the consumer paid for from their Internet service provider.

Micheal Weinberg, of Public Knowledge countered, saying "the new rules "would create a two-tier Internet where 'commercially reasonable' discrimination is allowed on any connections that exceed an unknown 'minimum level of access' defined by the FCC".

In spite of the outcry around the nation and demonstrations at FCC headquarters calls to action here on SN, the 3-2 split decision fell along party lines with the two Republicans on the five-member commission objecting to the changes on the grounds that it amounted to overregulation.

To me, the standard of "commercially (un)reasonable" seems like a loop hole large enough to allow any speed reductions the carriers want to impose, as long as they can make more money or by imposing them.

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  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Blackmoore on Tuesday May 13 2014, @03:41PM

    by Blackmoore (57) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @03:41PM (#42773) Journal
    • (Score: 4, Insightful) by mcgrew on Tuesday May 13 2014, @05:53PM

      by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Tuesday May 13 2014, @05:53PM (#42820) Homepage Journal

      Excellent comment, I'd mod you up if you weren't already at a 5.

      I wish there was more advance notice, more folks would show up. I'd like to see Congress passing a law that places the same restrictions on ISPs that landlines have; they should be forced to be "common carriers". Landlines are almost obsolete (I haven't had one for over 10 years) and cell phone and computer users should have the same protections as landline users.

      I'd write my Congress critter, but he's one of those anti-regulation bozos that want to let corporations and the rich to run roughshod over us :(

      --
      mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
      • (Score: 2, Informative) by dmewhort on Tuesday May 13 2014, @06:29PM

        by dmewhort (4200) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @06:29PM (#42840)

        That means you should contact your Congress critter, as those of us that have representation that does the right thing have absolutely no say on all the others that do not. Only if the people they represent speak up can the wrong headed be convinced.

        Doug

        • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday May 14 2014, @01:21PM

          by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Wednesday May 14 2014, @01:21PM (#43158) Homepage Journal

          I intend to, but don't think it matters; wingnuts of both wings are notoriously stubbornly stupid. Also, money talks a lot louder than words and the wingnuts are financed by the uber-rich, the left wing by the likes of Soros and the right wing the likes of the Koches.

          Good luck convincing anyone to reform copyright law or federal marijuana laws, both major parties are in tight lockstep on those issues, as well as many others.

          --
          mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
    • (Score: 2) by bucc5062 on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:36PM

      by bucc5062 (699) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:36PM (#42871)

      Well I am in to help as well.

      --
      The more things change, the more they look the same
  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by TK on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:01PM

    by TK (2760) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:01PM (#42855)

    See title.

    I like movements like this it worked for/delayed SOPA. Frankly I'm surprised it took this long.

    I'll call, email and write a letter to my congressman, senator, and the head of the FCC. Maybe just a letter to Mr. Wheeler.

    Every raindrop in a flood, every snowflake in an avalanche, etc.

    Anybody got a form letter drafted yet, or do I have to make one from scratch?

    --
    The fleas have smaller fleas, upon their backs to bite them, and those fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum
    • (Score: 5, Informative) by tynin on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:30PM

      by tynin (2013) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @07:30PM (#42867) Journal

      It looks like this site will send you a form letter, as well as gives you other suggestions on what you can do.
      http://www.savetheinternet.com/what-can-i-do [savetheinternet.com]

      Every little bit counts. If we don't make a difference, the internet becomes the new cable TV.

  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by kingduct on Tuesday May 13 2014, @08:55PM

    by kingduct (670) on Tuesday May 13 2014, @08:55PM (#42910)

    I hope all of you who are reasonably close to DC can make it out there. Your faces are needed to support the voices coming in over the phone and the letters and emails being sent. This is important stuff.