Net neutrality is half-dead: Court strikes down FCC’s anti-blocking rules

[qubit]

This isn't good. Not good at all. As if website paywalls weren't bad enough, the open internet as we know it is going to die in the name of vested interests of large, wealthy corporations.

The Federal Communication Commission's net neutrality rules were partially struck down today by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which said the Commission did not properly justify its anti-discrimination and anti-blocking rules.

Those rules in the Open Internet Order, adopted in 2010, forbid ISPs from blocking services or charging content providers for access to the network. Verizon challenged the entire order and got a big victory in today's ruling. While it could still be appealed to the Supreme Court, the order today would allow pay-for-prioritization deals that could let Verizon or other ISPs charge companies like Netflix for a faster path to consumers.

Read the rest at Ars Technica

EDIT

Here's an interesting explanation of the whole situation from someone who understands this at a deeper level:

http://www.slate.com/articles/techn...ling_the_battle_s_been_lost_but_we_can.1.html

EDIT

Netflix potentially stuffed by this:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/15/netflix-net-neutrality-costs/4491117/

 

[RCoon]

You got to love the lobbying that the government's claim don't happen. Reminds me of this big old porn filter than David Cameron pushed in the UK. Just so happened it was designed by his best buddy who owns Tiscali, and they had dinner at David's house the week before the announcement.

 

[remixedcat]

#thanksobama

 

[RCoon]

#thanksobama

By far my favourite american catchphrase.
Free healthcare?
Oh gee #thanksobama

 

[qubit]

This terrible precedent will lead to adverts that go something like this:

With Verizon 30Mb Broadband, you get high speed access to the best of the Web, including Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft stores, eBay, Netflix and Google* all for the low price of $80/month!

*All other websites and downloads will run at 0.5Mb 6pm-12pm and 1.5Mb all other times. Unapproved websites will not be accessible at all.

Sounds nasty, doesn't it? Unless this is somehow stopped, this will come and the end of the open internet will be here.

But what about getting round it with VPN you may ask. This may get around the censorship for a while until Verizon figure out a way to block this (MITM SSL attack, perhaps?) but it will do nothing to get round the severe speed throttling.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

If it went to the SCOTUS, I don't think the SCOTUS would rule in favor of the people either so yeah, we're pretty much screwed. It's time to socialize the internet in the USA so the government has the authority to put in place net neutrality rules and enforce them. The problem here is that the government can't compel private companies to not prioritize traffic.

#thanksobama

This has nothing to do with Obama. The FCC put the rules in place under its own authority and Verizon took the FCC to court because they didn't want to comply.

 

[DRDNA]

I have a feeling that stuff is going to hit the fan way b4 any of this can actually happen. I agree though that Corporation in the Provider field backed this with lobby $.

 

[qubit]

In other words people, bullshit walks, money talks.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Here's another source:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/15/tech/web/net-neutrality-explained/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

The court said that the government is tasked with overseeing crucial utilities like telephone service and electricity, but that the Internet isn't considered to be one of those utilities under current law.

In other words, it's Congress that needs to act giving FCC the authority to enforce net neutrality rules. I think this will happen eventually as the old farts retire/die from Congress and the "millennials" move in. The question is how long will we have to suffer shady business practices until then?

The FCC will appeal but the SCOTUS will probably say the same thing: Congress needs to act.

 

[Fourstaff]

I see why Google is installing fibre everywhere

 

[Kantastic]

I see why Google is installing fibre everywhere

If only that were true...

 

[AsRock]

This terrible precedent will lead to adverts that go something like this:

With Verizon 30Mb Broadband, you get high speed access to the best of the Web, including Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft stores, eBay, Netflix and Google* all for the low price of $80/month!

*All other websites and downloads will run at 0.5Mb 6pm-12pm and 1.5Mb all other times. Unapproved websites will not be accessible at all.

Sounds nasty, doesn't it? Unless this is somehow stopped, this will come and the end of the open internet will be here.

But what about getting round it with VPN you may ask. This may get around the censorship for a while until Verizon figure out a way to block this (MITM SSL attack, perhaps?) but it will do nothing to get round the severe speed throttling.

And the UK government like following the US government if the people are with or against it lol.

 

[qubit]

And the UK government like following the US government if the people are with or against it lol.

Wot, u mean we don't have no democracy here and it's just an illusion?

Nevva!

 

[Vario]

By far my favourite american catchphrase.
Free healthcare?
Oh gee #thanksobama

To hold to the catchphrase,

#ronpaul


as if the executive branch has anything to do with a circuit judicial court.

 

[RCoon]

Wot, u mean we don't have no democracy here and it's just an illusion?

Nevva!

What's a Democracy? - Said every UK citizen, ever.

 

[DRDNA]

Netflix exposed as net neutrality rules gutted
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/01/15/netflix-net-neutrality-costs/4491117/

 

[qubit]

Nice find DRDNA. I've added the link to my OP.

 

[DRDNA]

Heres some more good follow up on what the FCC may do.

Solving the Net Neutrality Problem Is Actually Simple

http://www.businessweek.com/article...is-actually-very-very-simple?campaign_id=yhoo

 

[DRDNA]

This is what the Internet will be like without net neutrality according to yahoo news.

http://news.yahoo.com/internet-without-net-neutrality-183628642.html

 

[Ahhzz]

If it went to the SCOTUS, I don't think the SCOTUS would rule in favor of the people either so yeah, we're pretty much screwed. It's time to socialize the internet in the USA so the government has the authority to put in place net neutrality rules and enforce them. The problem here is that the government can't compel private companies to not prioritize traffic.



This has nothing to do with Obama. The FCC put the rules in place under its own authority and Verizon took the FCC to court because they didn't want to comply.

As much as people love to blame Obama for the mess Bush left us with, as well as his own fiascos, this is all on us and congress. If they'd pass some updated laws that don't concern telegraph, we might be a little better off.

 

[DRDNA]

http://news.yahoo.com/video/netflix-rally-cry-100543591.html

 

[TheMailMan78]

If it went to the SCOTUS, I don't think the SCOTUS would rule in favor of the people either so yeah, we're pretty much screwed. It's time to socialize the internet in the USA so the government has the authority to put in place net neutrality rules and enforce them. The problem here is that the government can't compel private companies to not prioritize traffic.

This has nothing to do with Obama. The FCC put the rules in place under its own authority and Verizon took the FCC to court because they didn't want to comply.

In the end the FCC is under control of the executive branch. The US government has been circumventing the constitution via regulation for a very long time. To say this is Obama or congresses fault is naïve. Congress makes the laws. President enforces them how its written (Or should). This was put under the FCC control via congress and now the executive branch has discretion on how the FCC enforces it. Its the entire establishments fault.

This is why the constitution means nothing anymore. Our government rules via regulation created by agencies that make them without a vote of congress. Congress of course allows these agencies to be made so they can wash their hands of any strong arming by the executive branch against the people and keep the lie of a "democracy" going. Combine this with open to interpretation law language and you have a dictatorship or ruling class elites living outside of the law while us serfs deal with a new form of slavery.

How do the people put up with this? Simple. MSNBC, Fox News and just about all forms of media. We have the largest propaganda machines ever known to man. As long as the government can pit "Liberal" against "Conservative" and Democrat against Republican we will always be in the mind set of our team vs. your team. Our tribe vs. your tribe. All the while we share the same shackles of slavery by the ruling class of Neo-Socialist A$$HOLES. Its not Red vs. Blue. Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life. Its the masses vs. a very small percentage of people who work in the District of Columbia. Once people realize this......IF they ever realize this we will know true liberty and freedom again. The world will respect us again and not have to live in fear.

I hope my kids live to see this day. I just hope I'm young enough to help.

 

[Steevo]

If they want to provide free internet and run that with ads, and limitations I'm OK with it, but have a paid unlimited option available.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UTP_Programs.html

And since we are already paying for it through taxes.........

 

[DRDNA]

Looks like they are choking speeds already.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/10/5...x-is-source-of-frustration-for-slow-streaming

 

[DRDNA]

Netflix and Google getting ready for battle!

http://www.wired.com/business/2014/02/google-save-netflix-net-neutrality-fight/?mbid=synd_yfinance