[Hrgeeks] Save the Internet: Support Net Neutrality!

[S. Bergeron]

On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 03:08:14PM -0400, Geoff wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 3:04 PM, S. Bergeron <sean at 757.org> wrote:
> 
> > I was very satisfied with my DSL service; ?certainly more reliable than
> > Cox.
> 
> Awesome. Now imagine Cox never let you view pages about DSL in your
> area when you were still on them. You got a phone book lying around or
> are you going to the library to look up alternate internet providers?
> What if the library is also running Cox?

Which you know is a completely ancillary issue for the biggest NN 
fanbois.  They're pissed that Comcast throttles their warez torrnets, 
and AT&T didn't let them Skype from their iPhones.

And, again, libraries are governed by other organizations -- it would be 
far simpler to require them to refrain from blocking competitors' sites 
than it is to let the FCC figure it out.  The FCC doesn't need to be 
involved if the City of Norfolk tells its libraries:  let people see 
everything.

> > And I have trouble buying an argument with giving the FCC power to do
> > much of anything. ?This is the same organization so concerned with
> > a :02 titflash during the Super Bowl. ?As someone who had to deal with
> > their stupidity for almost ten years, professionally, they don't get
> > much sympathy from me.
> 
> I'd agree that giving them a large amount of power over internet
> content would be just as bad as allowing corporations to have that
> power but the point here is more in wanting to prevent anyone from
> having too much power over content.

Government isn't the answer here for consumers.  Remember that whole
"choice and competition" meme from teh HCR debate?  FCC mandates like 
this make that irrelevant.  Maybe some people want optimized connectsions.
Maybe some want ones that filter porn.  People should be able to seek 
those services.

--sb