[Thomas12400]

And HC, you have avoided my question.

Your DSL and cable co both decide to screw you by blocking Hulu or Netflix. Who do you switch to? Give me a provider name.

[GaryBulguihb]

I've been covering the FCC since the mid-90s.

For those scoring at home, Asher is speaking truth re net neutrality (though I suspect most Poly denizens at least have a basic understanding of its importance).
HC is spouting market economy claptrap that has nothing to do with the topic.

[TeksPaisimi]

The real question of course is:

How will this affect my ability to download animal porn?

Lack of net neutrality means your p2p downloads are throttled, so you get less animals per session.

[insightmike]

Republicans are stupid, news at 11. Hell, I've been telling you for years they're drooling idiots ("Da Barack HUISSAN Obama is trying to kill granny by making sure people have health insurance!") but I guess people have to learn on their own.

[wrefrinny]

The actual behavior that net neutrality is supposed to prevent is bad, IMO. I still don't know whether letting Congress regulate the technical design of the Internet is worse.

[trorseIrripsy]

I think they are trying to regulate what the owners of the last miles can do to people who do not have a lot of choices.

The significant issue in Canada recently was the major ISPs (telcos and cable cos) were trying to force independents to charge extra for things like netflix. They needed this to be able to charge the fees themselves, or large numbers of people would bolt to the indies.

[itsmycock]

I'm not convinced we need internet-wide QoS. We can cross that bridge if we get to it.

The potential bad outweighs the potential good at this moment. It can be changed if circumstances change.

VOIP functions just fine now with a neutral internet, and it'll only get faster.

[Tusanoc]

Why would it need to give up power? They retain the powers they had to regulate it, they can just clarify the laws as needs arise. There's tons of precedent (see crypto export restrictions).

[Deengealf]

It also depends how they write the law.

There could very well be a reasonable provision that upon FCC approval, they can implement QoS/paid prioritization for types of services rather than per specific providers.

Fact remains that some kind of insurance that the information continues to flow freely and without bias is required. The internet is far too powerful and ubiquitous to be completely controlled by questionable corporate interests of a few cableco/telcos, especially given their history of abuse.

[PheliarearY]

It also depends how they write the law.

There could very well be a reasonable provision that upon FCC approval, they can implement QoS/paid prioritization for types of services rather than per specific providers.

Fact remains that some kind of insurance that the information continues to flow freely and without bias is required. The internet is far too powerful and ubiquitous to be completely controlled by questionable corporate interests of a few cableco/telcos, especially given their history of abuse.

I would say that the Internet is far too powerful and important to be touched at all by the American government.

[occafeVes]

Exactly. Pick your poison.

These are the same ISPs that dragged their feet with IPv6. I think there's a strong case to be made for a competent regulating body. Perhaps an international one.

Kuci is right, the UN should regulate instead.

[Nekas48]

There's likely several of them.

[saturninus.ribb]

Says the person who isn't ashamed to post dickgirl porn

Even if I change my mind about some of the opinions I hold now, I'm not ashamed of anything I've said and I'm not worried about the future me being broken up over the fact that I was once 18 years old.

[Onervemurce]

I'm not worried about the future me being broken up over the fact that I was once 18 years old.

It's possible that you'll never have the level of self-reflection necessary to regret having been the world's worst 18-year-old, but that's hardly a future to look forward to.

[xjNo4zvD]

Now that's a bizarre response.

[Honealals]

"world's worst"

That's quite a title.

[Diandaplaipsy]

Another person who doesn't like me! Bawwwwwwwww I'm so sad