Fluffeh writes:
"When the D.C. U.S. Court of Appeals struck down the FCC's Open Internet Rules, a White House Petition was put up to 'direct the FCC to classify ISPs as "common carriers"'. With over 100k signatures, there is now an official response.
Absent net neutrality, the Internet could turn into a high-priced private toll road that would be inaccessible to the next generation of visionaries. The resulting decline in the development of advanced online apps and services would dampen demand for broadband and ultimately discourage investment in broadband infrastructure. An open Internet removes barriers to investment worldwide.
The petition asked that the President direct the FCC to reclassify Internet service providers as "common carriers" which, if upheld, would give the FCC a distinct set of regulatory tools to promote net neutrality. The FCC is an independent agency. Chairman Wheeler has publicly pledged to use the full authority granted by Congress to maintain a robust, free and open Internet a principle that this White House vigorously supports."
(Score: 3, Insightful) by SyntaxError on Wednesday February 19 2014, @02:13PM
Why wouldn't they take the lobby money and give away the pipes?
Self Interest:
I wonder if they really think they'd lose an election over it.
Morality:
I doubt it.
Other lobbies:
Are there any groups with tons of money paying to keep net neutrality alive?
(Score: 1) by cykros on Thursday February 20 2014, @04:46AM
This is why we need a real Pirate Party in the US. The only state that has them on the ballot is Massachusetts, and thus far, that hasn't really amounted to much of anything in the way of elections. We cannot rely on the Democratic or Republican party to deviate so far from their normal MO without at the very least having a noticeable enough "heckler" to threaten to jump up the ladder if they make too many wrong moves.
(Score: 1) by SyntaxError on Thursday February 20 2014, @09:16PM
A new party isn't going to help. It may at first, but power attracts corruption. There's no way to escape from sociopaths eventually taking over any power structure you setup.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponerology [wikipedia.org]