I’ll believe it when I see it.
With Anna Gomez confirmed to the FCC effective yesterday, the Democratic commissioners now have a majority and can push through policies like this. Of course, it could be overturned by future Commissioners too.
We really can’t rely on things like net neutrality to flip flop every new administration (assuming the high likelihood of each new administration appointing their own commissioner).
We would need legislation to solidify net neutrality.
While it would be much better if net neutrality was legislated, this flip-flop isn’t a complete loss.
- Even if this change is only temporary, it still improves things for that time.
- Businesses don’t like having to change back and forth based on Federal policy. Even if congress can’t pass net neutrality, many businesses will give up if they have to adjust every 4-8 years.
MAKE THE INTERNET A UTILITY!
How about instead of establishing this via the regulatory process we have Congress actually pass law that enshrines fundamental rights online? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take whatever, but as we’ve seen rule making can change these things based on who the President has selected to seat on the committee and if they seat just the right person, boom, all those rights are now gone again.
Bringing back NN via the regulatory process is a step, but as has been demonstrated, even long standing precedent before the courts is NOT an indicator of any long standing policy of the United States. That the only means by which any of us can have any kind of long standing right is via legislation (for the simple fact that usually there’s too much confusion to entirely undo anything once passed, but even then every so often the cards come up in just the right combination) and Constitutional Amendment.
That’s it. That about covers all the means by which the US has long standing position on anything. Which that’s pretty shitty because having a “direction” is slightly important for a nation, but that is where we are now. So great, glad to hear the FCC wants to implement rule making to add regulation that gives us “Net Neutrality”, but that’s going to last all the way up till some former Verizon lawyer becomes chairman of the FCC (Ajit Pai), who will unsurprisingly, dismantle all regulatory process of the FCC. And round and round we go.
Maybe they should have made the previous $42 billion given to the telecoms contingent on this being enforced.
Cool. Go get ‘em. Now do the whole news / journalism thing.
