Net Neutrality Rules!

[stromboli]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/26/net-neutrality-fcc-vote_n_6761702.html

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to approve strong net neutrality rules in a stunning decision that defies vocal, months-long opposition by telecom and cable companies and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Democratic Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mignon Clyburn joined Chairman Tom Wheeler to approve a rule that reclassifies consumer broadband as a utility under Title II of the Communications Act.

The FCC intends to use this new authority to ban "paid prioritization," a practice whereby Internet service providers can charge content producers a premium for giving users more reliable access to that content. The FCC also intends to ban blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. These regulations also apply to mobile access.

According to a fact sheet released by the FCC, the agency plans to enforce its new open Internet rules through "investigation and processing of formal and informal complaints." For the first time, the FCC can also address complaints at interconnection points, the gateway between ISPs and the rest of the Internet, on a case-by-case basis.

"The Internet is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules," Wheeler said prior to the vote.

At the vote, Clyburn pointed out that "absent the rules we adopt today," ISPs would be "free to block, throttle, favor or discriminate ... for any user, for any reason, or for no reason at all."

A few months ago, such rules were considered a pipe dream of net neutrality advocates. Last fall, Wheeler was reportedly still considering a "hybrid" approach to net neutrality that would have made major concessions to telecom and cable companies, who contend that strong regulations will hinder investment and innovation.

But President Barack Obama came out in support of Title II and tough net neutrality rules in November, and Wheeler had to contend with that position as well as millions of comments from the general public in support of net neutrality. Tech start-ups like Tumblr, as well as Silicon Valley giants like Google, also advocated for strong net neutrality rules.

The FCC decision is a major loss for Verizon, the company that initially sued the FCC in 2011 over rules that were considerably weaker than the new regulations. The new rules are also likely to be challenged in court.

"The FCC has taken us in a distressing direction. We must now look to other branches of government for a more balanced resolution," said Michael Powell, president and CEO of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, a trade group.

The FCC's two Republican commissioners attacked the vote. Commissioner Ajit Pai called the decision an "about-face" and stoked conservative fears by claiming, "We are flip-flopping for one reason and one reason only: President Obama told us to do so."

Those gathered in one FCC viewing room gasped and burst into laughter upon hearing Pai's remark.

Republicans have launched investigations into whether the White House unfairly influenced the FCC's decision, and are expected to pursue legislation, already introduced, that would gut the FCC's new authority. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) has said he plans to hold off-the-record meetings with stakeholders in early March in an attempt to drum up support from Democrats for his bill.

Republican members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Communications and Technology indicated they are not giving up on the fight. "We were -- and we remain -- willing to come to the table with legislation to answer the calls for legally sustainable consumer protections for the free and open Internet that has fostered a generation of innovation, economic growth, and global empowerment," they said in a statement.

From the other side, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) called the decision "a landmark day in the history of the Internet" and "a tremendous victory for freedom of ideas, of information, and of expression" in a statement.

"Popular victories like today's are so unusual that three Congressional committees are investigating how this happened," said David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress, a group that supports net neutrality. He added in a statement, "If the net neutrality effort had followed the usual playbook, if Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T had defeated the American people, nobody would be wondering why."

Wheeler denounced as "nonsense" the claims that the FCC has a secret plan to regulate the Internet. He added, "This is no more a plan to regulate the Internet than the First Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech. They both stand for the same concept."

So all the petitions submitted from Google, Reddit, and hundreds of other websites and millions of users made themselves heard, and mattered. Nice to know we can win one for a change.

[kilodelta]

Alright. Two-for-two on news that I liked today. I think I'll go offline to prevent spoilage of the day.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

This is good news.. To bad the rubes have to cry all day! Don't be to shocked if congress tries to override it..

[stromboli]

They already have legislation in the works to fight it.

[Solomon Zorn]

"The Internet is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules," Wheeler said prior to the vote.

This sums it up, right here.

But the Republicans once again show us their real values.

[Solitary]

If Republicans take over the next election, this will a mute point. It might be the lesser of two evils, but it's more like vote for the working man and not big business and the rich who have no idea what it is like to actually physically work for a living, while everyone works for them.  Solitary 

[_Xenu_]

Be proud guys. This is just as big as sending SOPA down in flames. Of course, we won't see the rules for awhile, and there could be some loopholes. If such are found, we have to fight those too.

[Munch]

This is Awesome news ^^. Gives be a fuzzy feeling of justice being served.

This sums it up, right here.

But the Republicans once again show us their real values.

This is why, even here in the uk and a uk citizen, I hate your republicans, seeing how such a decision on something this large would effect us here too because of the connection the net has to other countries. The republicans have no fucking right to claim what happens to the WORLD WIDE WEB.

[aitm]

you guys let me know if it good or bad so I know who to shoot...

[stromboli]

Its good, but shoot Republicans anyway.

[Savior2006]

On CF, every Republican and their mother is crying about how government is going to take over the internet.

[Atheon]

On another forum I participate on, there's a Repube who thinks that it's Big Guvmint Interference to "impose" Net Neutrality on the Internet, thereby destroying the freedom the Internet is known for. No amount of evidence will convince him that Net Neutrality is what we have had all along from the beginning, and all the government is doing is ensuring that it continues.

What part of the word "neutrality" does he not understand?

[stromboli]

Another source, I think it was Raw Story, had a bunch of Republicans telling Ted Cruz to shut up and basically said Obama did the right thing. All the responses I read were from small business owners, so not everyone is crazy.

[Solomon Zorn]

Fox News rules...the simpleminded.

And conservative talk-radio takes care of as much as 91% of the airwaves in most parts of the country.

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/media/report/2007/06/20/3087/the-structural-imbalance-of-political-talk-radio/

Money talks. And these day's Money is becoming very adept at Christ-Speak. So even the Christian mouthpieces are condemning net-neutrality.

[stromboli]

Supported by halfwits that can't operate a computer or spend all day driving, listening to the radio; i.e. truckers.