Date: November 20, 2017
01) R.I.P. The Internet, 1983-2017
“The head of the Federal Communications Commission is set to unveil plans next week for a final vote to reverse a landmark 2015 net neutrality order barring the blocking or slowing of web content, two people briefed on the plans said.
In May, the FCC voted 2-1 to advance Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s plan to withdraw the former Obama administration’s order reclassifying internet service providers as if they were utilities. Pai now plans to hold a final vote on the proposal at the FCC’s Dec. 14 meeting, the people said, and roll out details of the plans next week.
Pai asked in May for public comment on whether the FCC has authority or should keep any regulations limiting internet providers’ ability to block, throttle or offer “fast lanes” to some websites, known as “paid prioritization.” Several industry officials told Reuters they expect Pai to drop those specific legal requirements but retain some transparency requirements under the order.”
Internet Citizens: Defend Net Neutrality [2014]:
I’m not really sure how this will play out…I mean…the online resources I tend to most use [WordPress, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, etc.], are big and well established…
…But I’d be shocked if this internet coup doesn’t happen…despite that virtually everybody is dead set against it.
I don’t know if this is going to mean higher internet bills, in order to reasonably access much of the content online…or if the cost is all going to be dumped on individual companies and people who own that content…Either way, it’s likely to be catastrophic.
At least if it falls upon the individual internet subscriber…they have some type of potential for easy access, across the board…But if everything is reliant on the individual abilities of millions of companies and people, then even that potential will no longer exist.
The true power of the internet has always been, that even the grossly disenfranchised groups can have their own easy to access networks and media…Internet culture, is primarily about “the alternative”…
What’s happening right now, is likely the old media companies trying to re-establish their dominance over the public…in an age where few people even want what they have to offer.
We all know this is coming, eventually…They’re not going to stop…
…They’re getting weaker…and it seems, it’s time to make their strike.
…Maybe, it’s their “Hail Mary”?…
…Wouldn’t it be nice to imagine, that they’ll fail at this…crumble…go away, and stop harassing us?…
…If they had any respect for the public, they’d have stopped a long, long time ago.
