Posted on 09/10/2018 7:12:35 AM PDT by servo1969
Yes I know... Never happen in America... Heard that before many times now. Except it did...
Unfortunately it already is now happening with the big cell providers...
Default biased search engines which for now you can change to one that isn’t biased. Won’t be long and this option will be removed through their service contract agreement and you will be forced to use only their search engine.
“Website cannot be reached”is now becoming more common everyday.
Phone locking up repeatedly over and over trying to load a site but all other sites have no issue in hopes you just give up trying to go there.
Certain sites loading super slow on your phone while it loads instantly on a phone from a different carrier right next to you.
It’s subtle, but already happening. And just going to get worse... They are the gatekeepers who will have us bound by contract and can now do anything they like.
But we do indeed have a freemarket choice... Don’t use a cell phone or the internet at all because they are all doing it...
But even more perversly, the extra bandwidth given to Netflix will exacerbate many of the problems you point out. If your neighbor is streaming video on a shared resource (e.g. over the air to their tablet) then your phone will indeed not be able to load the site you want as quickly. And there won't be a damn thing you can do about it. You won't even be able to get of the problem (NN) because it will be entrenched.
As for bias in the search engines, definitely not solved by NN. In fact the search companies like Google are for NN for various reaasons, mainly because they don't want any competition by ISPs for search services or anything like that.
It seems like it’s back to the monopolies of ISPs ruling us. I adore Dennis Prager, spent the day with him as it were, but I am not sure I agree with this video. The content sites like YouTube and Netflix are there because consumers want them. I’m not seeing how giving ISPs this much power benefits us.
There is already censorship on the part of the content sites.
Yeah, the biggest BS line in the video is that anti-trust laws will naturally work as they always do over the ISPs!! ROFL!!! How many choices do you, or ANYONE, have for Internet? Total monopoly, just like most “utility” style businesses. Anti-trust laws are never enforced.
First let me thank you for your reply and very much appreciate the dialog. The details in whole need to be discussed and addressed because the NN issue is actually two part and we are all harping on just one part while the other is flying through unnoticed.
I have been doing web development for about about ten years now and fully understand the technical aspects of the situation. I fully understand the bandwidth issues, but as they conveniently blame Netfix for all the problems... for every one person watching Netflix there are a hundred or more streaming Youtube at the same time. So where is the outrage and attention about this? I wonder, is AT&T compensating other carriers and cable companies for this reality?
But I am also a businessman I fully believe in a freemarket and competition. And I also agree that if someone is using more bandwidth than others their usage should indeed be worth more or adjusted so that other customers are not deprived of dependable service. This first part makes sense and it is all we are currently focusing on, it’s the second part that should concern us all.
The second part is NN had ISP content control and data mining/resale restrictions in place to protect the user. When they threw out NN they also threw out this baby with the bathwater. Now granted the FCC in turn put “Opt in” privacy rules in place. And these rules should absolutely be default but they are not, they are default and presented as “opt out”, already in clear violation right out of the box.
Additionally they bundle the right and permission to use this data collection to “enhance your internet” experience in the very same consent form, in fact they make the claim this is all they will use this data for. Based on what Facebook, Twitter and Google has displayed as an example of “enhancing our internet experience” and behind the scenes data collection, censorship and abuse, this concept is the loophole key to also control the ISP gateway and content.
Thing is... In this we are talking about companies who already have a long track record of fraud, antitrust violations, unfair business practices, deceptive business practices, and FCC violations. Since when did these companies become honest and start abiding by rules? They don’t... They will break every rule they think they can get away with until they are caught, and even then nothing will be done about it.
Part of the problem is that we assume we can trust these companies to follow the rules and play fair, and we cannot. Another issue is there is a huge difference between choice of where we go on the net after we are on the net to “enhance our own user experience”. It is another whole ball game with Internet service providers at the gateway to internet access. And like I said... Most of us do not have a 100 different service providers to choose from to access the net in the first place.
Give an inch and they will take a mile... And when one is allowed to get away with it they will all follow suit. You’ll see, just give it a year or two. We will be reading headlines similar to:
“iPhone ‘Locking’ by Apple Violates Antitrust Laws”
https://www.scribd.com/document/225152377/iPhone-Locking-by-Apple-Violates-Antitrust-Laws
Absolutely... Here lies the problem...
Thanks for this good post.
The whole NN argument is false because neither the government (paid off by content providers clearly, as we see with google living in the Oval Office with Obama) nor the Holy ISPs (how can I write that with a straight face) have the consumer’s best interests at heart. Nor freedom’s.
Controlling info is one of the most vital parts of our attempt at self-government and right now WE AINT GOT IT.
Well said... It makes me wonder how many have actually READ their carrier’s “terms of service” and “information sharing” agreements they signed and agreed to just to get phone service. They all lump phone and internet together as one service take it or leave it, all or none. These companies have already reserved all right to do anything they want any time they want to and change it as they like when they like. This contract nullifies all rules and regulations once you agree to it. And everyone of them currently do this. But we do have an option to not enter into these contracts I guess... We could use a telephone booth instead. Wait...
The enemy of our enemies (Google Twitter Facebook) are the ISPs. That's the sole theory for supporting NN. More simply the ISPs will collude with any player, large or small, to make an extra penny per user per internet content access. Colluding with Google is truly a no-brainer for them. So why would Google be so interested in promoting NN?
Simply because the theory is wrong. If NN were about preventing ISPs from colluding with Google to make one more penny per customer per search, then Google would oppose NN because they would be prevented from colluding with ISPs. In fact some ISPs did milk customers redirecting Google searches to Paxfire where they could make a few pennies per user per search. Google quickly complained and the ISPs quickly stopped doing that to google searches (but kept doing others for a while).
No, the real reason Google wants NN is they want the competitive advantage over the ISPs. One obvious competitive advantage is their ability to skew search results. They can easily use those same abilities against conservatives although that might just be incidental or accidental.
The best business model IMO is when end-users can leverage their power against the big players like Google. That would be done by have more compeition in ISPs. And in fact competition among ISPs is increasing, not decreasing thanks in part to the absense of heavy handed regulation.
We all have 3 or more wireless options. Granted might be a little slower than you might like but you can't have everything. We will have LEO options soon.
We cannot allow NN regulators to stifle investment in new ISP options like LEO. The NN world leads to a single heavily regulated wired ISP.
“The enemy of our enemies (Google Twitter Facebook) are the ISPs.”
You are right there and I understand this. The funny thing is though, All the major service providers are also liberals who would just love to control content, and will keep trying until they do. So in the end it’s apples and apples anyhow.
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