Tomorrow Ajit Pai Decides Whether To End Your Free And Open Internet
By Thom Hartmann A...
Yesterday was Break the Internet Day and a bunch of organizations all over the place are talking about the whole internet situation.
In fact, there's a fascinating piece in the New York Times about how an Internet Service Provider in Sweden, Telia Company AB came out and said if you exceed your data plan on your mobile phone, if you've got a data plan that says you got three gigs of data a month and you burn through those three gigs of data, then they'd throttle your data - everything goes super slow and you basically can't use your data.
But they said they would continue to not throttle Facebook Spotify and Instagram. I can't say for sure, but presumably Facebook, Spotify and Instagram are paying for this or it's some kind of promotion for the ISP. But it's not net neutrality and so the Swedish regulators are suing this company, Telia.
But it's not that big a deal in Europe because for example Britain has 50 different Internet Service Providers. You have a lot of choices. So there's still competition. In the United States about half of Americans only have access to one internet provider. I mean, how many how many cables come in to your house, right?
This is called zero rating protection, where you say "you know, we're gonna let a company that pays us have faster access to our clients than everybody else".
It happened in India in February and the regulators shut it down. This is from the New York Times piece by Liz Alderman and Amie Tsang:
"In February, Indian regulators shut down a separate Facebook zero rating deal with the mobile phone carrier Reliance Communications, saying carriers should not be allowed to “shape the users' internet experience.”"
And in Portugal they're starting to break these things up. You've seen ISPs all over the world saying, 'we control this data and we can figure out ways to jack up the profits on this thing.'
And if Ajit Pai blows up the internet tomorrow, does away with net neutrality, it's going to be a horrible and messy thing for the United States.
Comments
#2
Up is down. Black is white. Put history in the "memory" hole. I re-read 1984 in September last year. That appears to be their paybook. Exposure is our best advantage now. What is the Republican Fascist worst nightmare? The internet! Corporate news ain't gonna report anything that causes anyone to question GE, Monsanto, Boeing, Contract war (Haliburton), Duke Power, or any other corporation. In their minds, the internet and social media is their worst enemy, although they got away (so far) with the Russia and the Lasange brainwashing campaign by using it. I was about to give up on logic and reason until yesterday. I applaude the citizens (and, that's what people who vote are; citizens) in Alabama! I still want to know how many write-ins were for Nick Saban though..... Rama Jama, give e'm hell ALABAMA! Still hope Toyota decides for the "Once Great State" of North Carolina! Were on the mend and will hopefully take back our state next November from the Koch's and ALEC! Burr says he's retiring and Tillis; well..... He probably wore one of the last hoods, he's from down east where Smithfield is, home of the clan!
#3
How can one man wield so much power?
I'm speechless
Common sense is dead. RIP
#4
Let's at least give it a try ( to aid common sense in direction to those who lack it). Looks like last chance to me. Not to be maudlin, actually optimistic but; Jones won, but by only 1.5 %. There is obviously work yet to be done.
#5
Regarding tomorrow's greedy internet scheme, if I'm understanding Thom, it appears that monoply capitalism is rearing its ugly head once again. Just like the Citizens United tumor, there's usually a root cause to all of our democracy cancers..... and always planted by a few selfish and out of control capitalists.
I'll say this once again, there are at least 999 of us for every one of them. Why do we take the abuse? I believe Trump's dangerous and out of control character is representative of many 1/1000 percenters....and I strongly suspect fascists like the Kochs are just as bigoted as Bannon and Crooked Donny. To not rise up and stop the madness is akin to Germany in the 1930's. Tomorrow is a step closer to the point of no return, in fact it might be the final step.
BTW: I'm still puzzled as to why nobody is talking about the corp tax cut being a fraud. The justification for going back up to 21% from 20% is that billions will be gained from that move. I'm no Archimedes, but if the effective rate is already at 17%, then how in hell is 21% going to generate any additional revenue????
#6
With a 999/1 odds , I'd say it is time to dust off that pink pussy hat and get into the street.
Knowing your numbers are dead on, that should put well over 300,000,000 out screaming at the sky for free internet today.
That should get their attention.
Note, I excluded infants who are not yet brainwashed.
beepbeep
#7
I would be shocked if these greedy nazi/fascists bastards decide to maintain Net Neutrality. After all, truth is the enemy of all totalitarian regimes. To quote FDR, "this is a day that will live in infamy."
Republicans are at war with the United States with the goal of installing a new fascist oligarchy, and of course, complete control of the media is essential to that goal.
#8
So Diane Chelsea Clinton Reynolds, how the fuck do you get free internet? I pay about 45 bucks a month for internet. And I'm sure that everyone on this site pays too. And any way you look at it, internet companies use the Public Airways and rights of Immanent Domain, maintained and funded by taxpayers to deliver their goods. Now you want us to pay more on top of it!!!! But of course, Republicans believe that if they can just make the rich richer, then somehow it will all be magnificent.
I suppose you would like to have every street and highway be a toll road?
Maybe I wear a pussy hat but at least my head is not all covered with shit from cramming it up Trump's stinkin' ass.
#9
You truly are a bird brain.
Thanks for the laughs,
Merry Christmas to you and your flock!
#10
Because I live in a very rural area I pay $59.99 per month for internet. Not to mention what I pay for a cell phone. This morning on local tv news they did a local poll on Net Neutrality. 78% wanted it to stay the way that it is 10% did not know what Net Neutrality is.
#11
Wow, I guess I am a birdbrain. I meant eminent domain, not immanent domain. What the Diane Chelsea Clinton Reynolds was I thinking?
#12
Reading the reactions to the end of Net Neutrality, this may be the end of the Republican Fascist Party. They certainly do not represent the people. I cannot wait until 11/18 to vote them out.
#13
beepbeep... nasty piece of work that
#14
How good would it be if cities and towns could fight back by 'eminient domaining' the internet providers telephone poles and cables on OUR sidewallks, streets, air space. - OR - Use local zoning or bylaws to stipulate conditions for using OUR streets sidewalks and airspace
#15
Didn't read your comment before I posted mine but it would be great if cities and towns could fight back by 'eminient domaining' the internet providers telephone poles and cables on OUR sidewallks, streets, air space. - OR - Use local zoning or bylaws to stipulate conditions for using OUR streets sidewalks and airspace
#16
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During Thanksgiving I met up with relatives, Distant relatives and friends from another area. Discussed Net Neutrality and found most ignorant on the situation. The Republican Fascist Party with the help of the 1% owned and operated mainstream media are being very successful on this operation.