Piss off the young Internet crowd and things will change rapidly.
Will this be the last straw for free people?
I’ve been following the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s position on “net neutrality” for a while. Their latest is at
While they have been ardent supporters of the concept, it seems that they are starting to see that the feds might not be so generous. For example:
“No Blocking: broadband providers may not block access to legal content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
“No Throttling: broadband providers may not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
“No Paid Prioritization: broadband providers may not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful traffic in exchange for consideration – in other words, no “fast lanes” – including fast lanes for affiliates.
“These are all good ideas. If net neutrality means anything, it means no unfair discrimination based on application or service, and these rules seem aimed at just that. But there’s at least one worrisome bit: the repeated reference to “lawful content.” Does the FCC intend to suggest that throttling unlawful content is OK? How are ISPs to determine what is and is not lawful without snooping on their users? Can an ISP block access to the Pirate Bay without fear of violating open internet rules?”
Aha! Who determines “legal” content? Is it porn? Or is it anything that someone claims to be objectionable? Or is it something that the government doesn’t like? Or something like commentary on FR that mocks a NYT article?
Actually the liberal hipster types won’t get pissed. Obama’s objective is to eliminate conservative dissent.