Your Internet’s in Danger

[marmar]

from In These Times:


Your Internet’s in Danger
Verizon v. FCC could lead to one Internet for the ‘haves’ and another for the ‘have-nots.’

BY COLE STANGLER


A major court case pitting Verizon against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could determine the future of Internet access in 21st-century America.

Though it’s uncertain how exactly the results of the case could emerge in the context of everyday Internet use, the stakes of Verizon v. FCC, which opened at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit earlier this month, are monumental. “Until now, the Internet has been transformative because nobody has had to pay to get online in order to be heard,” Jennifer Yeh, policy counsel at the media reform group Free Press, told reporters in a conference call about the the case. Critics say that if the court sides with Verizon, it could ultimately enable the construction of a multi-tiered Internet landscape resembling something like cable television—where wealthy conglomerates have access to a mass consumer base and other providers, such as independent media, struggle to reach an audience.

Under the current order, which Verizon is challenging, the FCC has the right to bar Internet service providers (ISPs) from charging different prices to users based on what sites they access or to websites who might be willing to pay extra in order to offer faster speeds than their competitors.

By contrast, the ISPs want the authority to control Internet access on their own terms—to block or slow content as they please and to charge what they want. ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://inthesetimes.com/article/15689/your_internets_in_danger/

[TroglodyteScholar]

1. K & R

If providers get what they want this could be VERY big...

[rhett o rick]

2. We must fight for a free internet. But as long as we allow the 1% to

rule without any controls, we dont have a chance. This is just one area of control the 1% will have over us. Another area we need to fight for is free and fair elections.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. The wealthy own our media...

they will own our Internet soon.

[lonestarnot]

3. Like this should be any different than anything else. They want it that way with every material

thing and every service. A subservient under culture so they can get their boots licked. Thanks for the heads up.

[Dash87]

4. Think of an Internet with 30 premium websites, and all others are banned.

Free thought on the Internet is destroyed. Want to go on the Internet? Visit one of the 30 domains that are allowed by your ISP.

Democratic Underground? - banned for your ISP. Visit Huffington Post instead through our Deluxe Package (only an extra $59.99 per year added to our base Internet cost).

You Tube? Same thing. Use a different video sharing site? Too bad! We colluded with Google and banned them all for this ISP! Okay, fine, we'll allow Hulu, but you have to pay them too!

Want to buy stuff? It's Amazon.com or the highway, champ! Did we also mention that, feeling emboldened by their new found monopoly, Amazon jacked up their prices? No really, we hate Capitalism and always have. You guys just didn't notice as much before.

Want to make your own website? Well, are you a mega corporation? If not, then don't even ask - we'll laugh in your face! Don't even try to sell your crap if you aren't Walmart.com.

Have some extreme (non-lemming-like) opinions you want to share like you used to be able to? We don't like those either. You see, governments really don't like that. They'd rather just have us censor you instead. If nobody sees your opinion, they can just pretend everybody loves them. You understand...

But we have to do this, you see. 2 pedophile network sites exist somewhere, and Al Qaeda uses the Internet too! You wouldn't want Al Qaeda to win, would you? Surely that would be stupid, you know, compared to giving blood-sucking, competition-free, money-hungry, morally bankrupt ISP's even more power to fuck people over!

(Hyperbole)

[Scuba]

5. Banking and Broadband: the bright future of the USPS.

[hunter]

8. Yep. The post office could offer free bankning and internet for everyone...

... paying special attention to those areas now ignored by the big commercial banks and internet providers.

There have been many similar projects in U.S.A. history, for example rural electrification and the interstate highway system, and we sure as hell have the labor available; there are plenty of people seeking interesting well paid work.

[alfredo]

13. Proud member of the Postal Credit Union.

[lunasun]

6. is there a FCC Chair? I know Obama's pick last I heard was

Wheeler who is "a former top lobbyist for the cable and wireless industries"

[L0oniX]

11. What? A real Dem picking a lobbyist? Whodahthunkit. Sad and pathetic.

[lunasun]

21. I am not sure if chair was ever filled

...........well at least fcc is looking like they are challenging it...
but maybe like the fda looks like it is protecting citizens not pharmas or food corps

I really do not know
although fcc had issue$ under Powell's son
I remember that vaguely

[Kablooie]

7. Sounds like AOL coming back.

Websites have a right to charge if they want.
The companies who provide the phone lines ... I mean internet lines can't be allowed to charge or filter per site on top of that.
If they do then telephone lines might be managed the same way.
The company would decide who you could and couldn't call.
Talk about big brother, geez.

Instead of this they need to eliminate the cable TV model and set that up the way the internet is now.

[Half-Century Man]

9. One more example of taking something others have made

and using it to rape the rest of the others.

You do realize that if wealth was based on what you yourself created, the current ultra rich would frequent guests at the local soup kitchen.

[Brigid]

10. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Having one thing our corporate overlords couldn't control, that is.

[L0oniX]

12. So how do you like Verizon now? ....move to MetroPCS. Dump the sociopath corporation.

[Sentath]

19. I'm out mid-November

http://republicwireless.com/moto-x

[NealK]

15. K&R

This is scary.

[Nimyth]

16. They already

pretty much have a strangle hold on media/journalism. The internet is the last source of news (you have to hunt for it but it is at least available) not just talking-points/propaganda. These guys have been around for a long time and are a good internet rights resource https://www.eff.org/. Have list of several other for anyone interested in taking some action

[Demo_Chris]

17. A free internet is the single greatest tool for peace and progress in history...

Nothing else even comes close.

[lunasun]

22. maybe that is another reason it has to go !! ( besides $$$ of couse)

[Demo_Chris]

23. I suspect you are correct. Nothing has done more damage to the world elite and their propaganda. nt

[Uncle Joe]

24. I totally agree, Demo_Chris.

[sarcasmo]

18. Verizon proves once again, Corporations have no soul.