M
MikeyD
Guest
This isn't necessarily "Linux" related, but in case there are people out there unaware of Tuesday's ruling this could mean massive changes to the internet as we know it right now.
A Washington appeals court yesterday struck down the FCC's net neutrality rules protecting the open internet and forbidding ISPs to discriminate between websites and services. In a nutshell, your ISP will now have the ability to flat out block access to certain websites, greatly slow down access to others and give "preferential treatment" to sites that either fork over massive amounts of money or, truthfully, for any reason they deem worthy. The worst part is the "success" really boiled down to a technicality on how cable modem services are classified. (They also claimed FCC rulings were a breach of ISPs' First Amendment rights which I find laughable, I guess our First Amendment rights don't matter.)
Read more here:
http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-net-neutrality-20140114,0,522106.story
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57617242-94/why-you-should-care-about-net-neutrality-faq/
So what can we do? That's a good question. I know this isn't new to many of you. I've been an open internet advocate since SOPA and PIPA first raised my attention to the issue, but no amount of donations or letters to the FCC will seem to help at this point.
I've already written my state reps and I've already been boycotting Verizon (who brought the case to court) because of a history of shady behavior: https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/800702
Just wanted to see what you all thought of this and raise awareness for those who may not have been aware. The future of a free and open internet could be bleak.
A Washington appeals court yesterday struck down the FCC's net neutrality rules protecting the open internet and forbidding ISPs to discriminate between websites and services. In a nutshell, your ISP will now have the ability to flat out block access to certain websites, greatly slow down access to others and give "preferential treatment" to sites that either fork over massive amounts of money or, truthfully, for any reason they deem worthy. The worst part is the "success" really boiled down to a technicality on how cable modem services are classified. (They also claimed FCC rulings were a breach of ISPs' First Amendment rights which I find laughable, I guess our First Amendment rights don't matter.)
Read more here:
http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-net-neutrality-20140114,0,522106.story
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57617242-94/why-you-should-care-about-net-neutrality-faq/
So what can we do? That's a good question. I know this isn't new to many of you. I've been an open internet advocate since SOPA and PIPA first raised my attention to the issue, but no amount of donations or letters to the FCC will seem to help at this point.
I've already written my state reps and I've already been boycotting Verizon (who brought the case to court) because of a history of shady behavior: https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/800702
Just wanted to see what you all thought of this and raise awareness for those who may not have been aware. The future of a free and open internet could be bleak.