Wed April 23, 2014 11:54 pm
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/technology/fcc-new-net-neutrality-rules.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0
F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane
WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission will propose new rules that allow Internet service providers to offer a faster lane through which to send video and other content to consumers, as long as a content company is willing to pay for it, according to people briefed on the proposals.
The proposed rules are a complete turnaround for the F.C.C. on the subject of so-called net neutrality, the principle that Internet users should have equal ability to see any content they choose, and that no content providers should be discriminated against in providing their offerings to consumers.
The F.C.C.'s previous rules governing net neutrality were thrown out by a federal appeals court this year. The court said those rules had essentially treated Internet service providers as public utilities, which violated a previous F.C.C. ruling that Internet links were not to be governed by the same strict regulation as telephone or electric service.
The new rules, according to the people briefed on them, will allow a company like Comcast or Verizon to negotiate separately with each content company – like Netflix, Amazon, Disney or Google – and charge different companies different amounts for priority service.
That, of course, could increase costs for content companies, which would then have an incentive to pass on those costs to consumers as part of their subscription prices.
Proponents of net neutrality have feared that such a framework would empower large, wealthy companies and prevent small start-ups, which might otherwise be the next Twitter or Facebook, for example, from gaining any traction in the market.
The F.C.C. plans were first reported online Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal.
The new proposals, drafted by the F.C.C.'s chairman, Tom Wheeler, and his staff, will be circulated to the other four commissioners beginning Thursday, an F.C.C. spokeswoman said. The details can be amended by consensus in order to attract support from a majority of the commissioners. The commission will then vote on a final proposal at its May 15 meeting.
Barrack Obama wrote: "Preserving an open internet is vital not to just to the free flow of information, but also to promoting innovation and economic productivity, absent net neutrality, the Internet could turn into a high-priced private toll road that would be inaccessible to the next generation of visionaries."
Wed April 23, 2014 11:55 pm
Thu April 24, 2014 11:07 am
Tue May 13, 2014 4:28 am
Thu May 15, 2014 5:46 pm
Thu May 15, 2014 5:55 pm
Thu May 15, 2014 10:02 pm
Wed June 04, 2014 10:44 pm
Wed June 04, 2014 10:47 pm
Thu June 05, 2014 8:24 pm
broken iris wrote:Goddamn epic take down of the FCC's Net Neutrality decision:
Hopefully we can get Alex to use his skills on this task.
(On a side note, everyone should be watching Oliver's Last Week Tonight)
Thu June 05, 2014 8:27 pm
Thu June 05, 2014 11:10 pm
Alex wrote:broken iris wrote:Goddamn epic take down of the FCC's Net Neutrality decision:
Hopefully we can get Alex to use his skills on this task.
(On a side note, everyone should be watching Oliver's Last Week Tonight)
while i appreciate oliver's call-to-arms in principle, i think this warrants a measured, researched approach on the part of the participants, not just a troll anger explosion. this is an important issue being addressed in a venue that requires a bit of decorum; it's not RM.
Fri June 06, 2014 10:20 am
Fri June 06, 2014 2:39 pm
Mon June 09, 2014 5:24 am
Thu June 12, 2014 10:53 am
Kaius wrote:It's going great. We need more soldiers like this one on the front lines.
Thu June 12, 2014 1:49 pm
Thu June 12, 2014 3:28 pm
Thu June 12, 2014 7:39 pm
Thu June 12, 2014 7:40 pm