Obama says FCC should reclassify internet as a utility

The Verge ^ | Nov 10, 2014 | Jacob Kastrenakes

[Wuli]

“In plain English, I’m asking [the FCC] to recognize that for most Americans, the internet has become an essential part of everyday communication and everyday life.”

So what if it has. So has television, automobiles, super markets and drug stores and many other things. By the dictator’s argument you could classify every industry a public utility.

[a fool in paradise]

then so is a printing press...

[a fool in paradise]

Funny how cable tv is NOT covered by the FCC but the internet SHOULD be.

Funny, that...

[Waryone]

Very Interesting!

Here is a bit from the article you linked:

"The thinking is that technology interferes with creativity and young minds learn best through movement, hands-on tasks, and human-to-human interaction. Students at this school are gaining math, patterning, and problem-solving skills by knitting socks. They aren’t exposed to fractions through a computer program. Instead they learn about halves and quarters by cutting up food."

I don't know about the knitting of socks, but it sounds like these big tech execs are admitting that homeschooling is the best way to educate kids. We homeschoolers use these methods of instruction all the time.

[KarlInOhio]

I hate the idea of the government regulating it. On the other hand I don't like the idea of internet service providers giving priority to some companies services over others, so if Microsoft comes in and pays suddenly Bing is the only search engine which works reliably and Google searches get lost so they only work about a quarter of the time. Or more likely, the ISP puts priority on its own television and telephone service and kills Netflix, Hulu and any VOIP connections.

What the ISPs want to do would be like the power company deciding what you can use electricity for (outdoor lights? no, no, no because the power company has a contract with the city to provide all outdoor lighting) instead of just charging for the total amount of energy and contracting a maximum instantaneous power (equivalent to total bytes per month and maximum bandwidth).

If most locations had more than two potential broadband suppliers this wouldn't be a problem, especially if some started to explicitly state that they wouldn't pick and choose which websites get priority.

Maybe as a middle ground the government could just require ISPs to make explicit any prioritization they do in order to put market pressure on them to not do it.

[GeronL]

Obama will do anything that harms America

[Buckeye McFrog]

This seemingly obscure issue is HUGE with his Millenial voter base. They don’t want to have to pay extra for the fast lane to download their Netflix and their games. The analysis is probably revealing that he scroooood-up by not proposing this before the election.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Venezuela has declared drug stores to be a public utility.
Ask them how that’s working out.