InfocalypseRising
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I hope I'm wrong
I really hope I'm wrong, but too much money stands to be made by people whose only fucks are given about money. That said, go call your reps and whatnot.
ThirstyCalifornian
Which is why internet access needs to be amended into the constitution as a human right
KungPowDicken
I read that if it fails they're gonna write a bill and put it in place that it can't be brought up again
DoublevBomb
It worked with the video game industry. People are only *just now* getting really sick of EA, when it's been every company for a decade-ish.
channelranger
Sadly yes. Corporations win in the US, even at the expense of the people. That's what you get when you vote republican.
PersonalityFire
ISPs/Mega-corps are relying on the average voter/congressperson not really understanding what's at stake.
wallyworld83
Big money, big corporations always win.
CptAssist
That's bc Net Neutrality is a temporary stop loss to a much bigger problem in this country (private/public sector collusion).
VikingEagle
Imagine how much damage a mob of millions of sexually frustrated young men could do, then imagine what might happen if porn stops being free
VikingEagle
Not saying it will happen, not condoning it if it does happen, but if it does, I don't think Netneutrality would under that pressure.
Forbayn
Why can't legislation be passed that permanently protects it? Would they just repeal it at a later time?
InfocalypseRising
It was already supposed to be permanently protected. But here we are.
GeneralRaven
I called mine today! He is leading a CO and national stand to defend neutrality!
Poodlestrike
It's not so much until *we* stop caring. They've just replaced the head of the FCC with a dude utterly disinterested the public's opinion.
Pimaf
I don't think those tags are getting enough love +1
eroso
When it comes, just choose neutral internet provider or show outrage to the internet provider if it's not neutral. You vote when you consume
Dingus2
THERE IS NO COMPETITION IN THIS MARKET
eroso
There cannot be yet - it's illegal for now.
starheart8
Net neutrality is a war of attrition. What we need is an digital bill of rights.
Dingus2
Agreed, but the current state of government is not suitable for it, and there's no traction on cleaning that mess up.
Unverified
Let's just add wolves
Bizarkly
Have you happened to notice our new President yet?
mogibo8628888
Or start calling net neutrality “battlefront 2” to get everyone to pay attention
BastardRaptor
https://media.giphy.com/media/qPVzemjFi150Q/giphy.gif
Ramajam
I got it
Ishira
TheSaltiestManAlive
Hey wowzers xDDDDDD
Tunisia
Or we could have just elected competent people with at least some semblance of our interests at heart. We had that option.
CaptainDPooly
Actually we didn't. Both sides are corporate shills. Until lobbying is made illegal and corporations are no longer people we are fucked.
Tunisia
Whether or not you believe either option was good, it's always been very clear that one was better.
InfocalypseRising
I tried, man! I really did! I'm only one man :(
ShatteredF1re
That's the American way. Every law works like this.
jimmyv723
Government isn't by the people for the people... it's by the money for those that have the most money. Lobbying sucks plain and simple.
CaptainDPooly
You spelled bribery wrong.
stink3rbelle
I don't think this is the case. Pai should NEVER have gotten to head the FCC, and if he weren't there, NO ONE would attempt to back-tread 1
stink3rbelle
on the existing regulatory scheme. It's probably illegal for them to completely reverse position like this. The only issue is how slow 2
stink3rbelle
legal challenge is. That is, they'd have to ram through these regulations and THEN lawyers would have to challenge them for reversing prior3
stink3rbelle
policies. This is the thing that we don't really appreciate about the "administrative state." It's not random or capricious, but it is slow.
thegoodnoches
This administration isn't even trying to hide their greed and corporate pandering. That elephant head shit? C'mon...
eroso
Drain the swamp slogan sounds funnier and funnier every day.
MechanusIncarnate
It's like draining spaghetti. You remove the water, and keep what's left.
thegoodnoches
I like that. I have said from the start: They are draining the swamp. They're just filling it back up with sewage.
TigerThong
i honestly dont understand why people get duped into voting republican. its a shit show everytime
thegoodnoches
It's propagating to the citizens with the lowest intellect. My sis-in-law who I love dearly, isn't smart and laps up all that Fox News spews
CaptainDPooly
BUT HILARY! THEY WANT OUR GUNS! MINORITIES! IMMIGRATION! *quietly cuts education funding to keep people stupid*
CPatricoo
Probably because every battle will be called net neutrality when it isnt.
Jdonkay
I Completely disagree. If we have this mindset then ya we've lost already. The cost of freedom is vigilance.
AzgarOgly
Look at US "healthcare" system. People vs Oligarchy. Kida lost battle.
WoeToHice
BionicToad
The cost of freedom? Cheap. Most of these politicians took less than $100k to sell out their constituents.
CaptainDPooly
When the people who are supposed to look out for us are being paid off, and stupid people keep them in power its an eventuality. (1/2)
CaptainDPooly
(2/2) Our only recourse is to fight them as long as we can until we eventually lose.
wetsoup
Completely agree. you lose the race the second you begin believing that you're going to lose
JimmyWalkerTexasRanger
Too many won't miss it until it is gone. Sad truth. :/
Cheomesh
I mean, I spent most of my online life without it
chronovore
The ISPs will relent when the class-action lawsuit for consistent failure to deliver on advertised speeds smacks them squarely in the balls.
InfocalypseRising
We just made class actions against banks illegal. I daresay ISPs could do the same thing.
Somebullshitaccount
This is so fucking sad
TigerThong
this country legislated itself into demise. looking at the tax plan that passed the house and the sinclair merger. Russia 2.0
CitizenDickbag
Stop voting for Republicans, for starters.
InfocalypseRising
I mean, I didn't. I can't do much about the other tens of millions though. Plus I live in NY which always votes blue anyway.
TheGuyThatJustSitsInTheCorner
How about we stop the two party system in which both sides are ducking us.
CitizenDickbag
The previous Democratic admin supported net neutrality.
Trisar
When one side is visibly corrupt but the other side has moved to levels of cartoonish supervillainy, "Both sides!" becomes a weak argument.
MasterKif
Where the fuck is anonymous or any other online cracker group? I feel like if ever there was a time for them it’s now.
Dingus2
Have you seen /b/ in the past several years? There's nothing left but commies, nazis, and chicks with dicks.
InfocalypseRising
What would they reveal? "Rich people like money?"
MasterKif
If we knew what they would reveal we wouldn’t need them.
MechanusIncarnate
Bribery. Although it wouldn't mean much. Corruption no longer seems to be illegal.
CaptainDPooly
Yeah cuz say what you want, but Lobbying is just legal bribery.
RydWolf
They could reveal the president's secret connections to Russia. Oh... maybe they could reveal the FCC chairman's owned by Verizon... dangit
Cheomesh
That era is long over.
MasterKif
Yeah but they are still out there. Maybe not them in particular but there are still keyboard warriors left! GONDOR CALLS FOR AID!!
Cheomesh
I'll infect them with Sasser and MSBlaster; popups'll keep poppin up faster and faster...
MasterKif
Take them out, or they’ll make our internet shitty; the repercussions they’ll reap won’t be pretty.
DeviatedPrevert
a significant portion of the population doesnt care that russia tried to meddle in our elections ... you think they will care about this?
somenerandom
This is actually something that affects people much more directly. There are many people that are just indifferent to politics and who's>
somenerandom
in office, for one reason or another. But Internet, that we all make use of daily? That everyone cares about.
ThatKidWhoYoyos
You can't lead a horse to fire.
linewyorkguy
1000 upvotes. Apathy will destroy us. We’ve become a nation of frogs in the tepid water. We won’t notice it until we’re fully boiled.
ShamnusMcfee
'tried'
Dingus2
This is an amusing comment. The evidence as it stands indicates very, very strongly that Russia is agitating extremism on both ends of the->
Dingus2
-> political spectrum with the ostensible goal of destabilizing our society. Been noticing any madness around the place lately?
Icantthinkofaname2
Didn't see them hand dirt on Trump to Hillary, etc. Their game is division, but clearly the right's attitude is most helpful to them.
Dingus2
Do you not watch the news? Hillary's campaign purchased documents on Trump from the Russian govt. and they're arguing in congress about ->
Dingus2
-> whether the FBI should investigate it or whether to form a special investigation.
coreyjayb
Come off it. They made facebook posts. Oh well
eroso
Those posts reached hundreds of millions of views. Those are pretty significant numbers. You shouldn't underestimate propaganda, it works.
coreyjayb
Just because they were viewed doesn't mean they swayed votes. Maybe a few, but no evidence it changed the outcome.
Icantthinkofaname2
You're in denial. Or in support of Russia.
coreyjayb
Typical leftist mindset.
eroso
Troll made fake news were most viewed and shared news during elections. Voters did indeed base their views on falsehoods. It had an impact.
Icommentandpostmypets
Yup. That is exactly what they will do. Or they will stash parts of it in other bills until they have a complete legislation they want.
Haydzor
"I'd like to tack on a rider to this bill"
grammarfairy
Most optimistic possibility. They probably won't have to.
Barbarian90001
Already fucking dead, Google, Facebook, Twitter block, censor, restrict, throttle content & users right now & you guys don't give a shit.
SnugglesaurusRex
OR! US Citizens could vote for progressive candidates that will strengthen and make permanent Free Speech. You guys are fucking wusses.
garrettIRL
I wanna tack on a rider to that bill: 30 million dollars of taxpayer money to support the perverted arts.
mandadadada
People get the feeling they are losing battles if they don't see people thinking alike or protests on TV. Keep on fighting TV, a box of lies
NiumZ
The day net neutrality dies is the day we know we lost defending the internet seems to be the topic the most people are willing to fight for
MajorLeagueFister
It's how they've been taking everything else away from us so it stands to reason
Draquez1
State is the only way to make sure it stays neutral. Just pass bills state side to keep them from doing stuff.
OniOfWildPlaces
They're already sneaking in the full repeal of the Affordable Care Act in the new shitty tax reform (last i heard at least)
ItchyUnicorn
Wasn't the ACA snuck in on the budget?
ThatIsHowIFoundIt
Not if you stop voting republican
JustSomeRandomMan
can they do that?
Icommentandpostmypets
It's called rider bills. Happens all the time
JustSomeRandomMan
sounds rather shady.
Icommentandpostmypets
It is. Some states are working to pass laws preventing it. It's like a bill to reduces taxes, but a rider to weaken epa regulations is in it
icelandicsealbear
The problem is everyone who believes in net neutrality are such losers who will give up any time it gets tough. We're millions of voices...
icelandicsealbear
and if we don't win one battle, we can always get them on the next one. It's so stupid every time I see this bullshit "Oh I'm so tired."...
icelandicsealbear
Suck it up twinkle toes. Write some fucking letters. The world doesn't hand it to you on a silver platter. You have to work and earn it.
psychologicaltrap
Can we get support from the NRA on this? they're super effective. How do we tie up the idea of "restricting guns" w/ "restricting internet"?
Icommentandpostmypets
Restricting internet means it is harder to look up gun stores and buy guns online! Help us NRA!
Thneitis
More so this
CamelSpotter
I'm trying to wrap my head around how that's even allowed in our government.
RydWolf
As best as I can tell, the rider was originally intended for wartime and similar so important stuff could get done without the full process.
RydWolf
But as seems to be the American way, good intentions get hijacked by bastards.
RydWolf
Same as how the electoral college was meant to prevent the election of a popular, yet unqualified/incompetent/morally bankrupt president.
BorgaSmorg
But then you let the guys redraw the lines...
MetroidJunkie
Because people are asleep at the wheel and keep electing the old fart establishment goons that support this crap, we need fresh blood.
Isorikk
Anything is allowed if people ignore it
Icommentandpostmypets
No idea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider_(legislation) . Its so normal to do that we as people have accepted it.
ThePotatoBandit
Cause governing bodies are usually not governed. Checks and balances only works to a certain extent
TallGuyWithAHoodie
Allowed? Shit son, that's how government works! People in power will play the rules to get what they want. Always have, always will.
classyname
You sir just won my upvote
Fastrayd
Oh I know it man. Riders that are completely unrelated to the bill are straight up insanity.
CirclejerqueDuSoleil
Because we have no laws regarding lobbying or political donations.
heartlessninja6
Hobbsrox
$$$
rbudrick
As soon as we get rid of politicians who can be paid off cuz they wanna keep their jobs and get richer, this won't be a problem.
dohcohv
And this shit is played for publicity too. Introduce bill that increases sentences for murder, with a line that would increase tax 100%
dohcohv
People who vote against it get are now pro murder.
RydWolf
Or the old "poison pill" rider. Or what they did with that mandatory funding bill and the internet surveillance.
pornopaul
Welcome to the wonderful works of politics. And think how many people fall for those ads that say literally that.
exactmat
*US politics. I dont know any other country where you can just strap on a completely different addendum to a bill
InsanityReborn
I'm gladly pro-murder as long as it's directed at the right people.
mikekearn
Like toward people who sponsor shit bills like that?
exlurker42
Keep in mind a lot of online services that stand to lose, here. There's money stacked up on both sides.
SederHishtalshelus
True
infey
If there wasn’t we net neutrality would already be gone and the public wouldn’t even know of the term. Still need vigilance.
HEXADECIMAL
They're going to keep pushing things until there's more industry against the govt than for, that's what really sparks civil wars.
somethingtomakemeseemwittyandsmart
I work for an online backup service. Not right away but we would probably be affected after a short time if Net Neutrality went away.
nullpotato
That's honestly the only thing that gives me hope.
aesthesia1
I dont want to chime in with the completely unhelpful defeatism, but with the exception of netflix, theyre not helping us much.
exlurker42
Netflix is in negotiation with comcast to cover the eventuality, actually...
worldsokayestspeler
Ive been thinking this same thing too. Netflix, facebook, twitter, etc all have a lot to lose from this. They will fight it
ElephantKid
to lose? they'll just pay IPS's so that their service will preform better then competitors.
jaggedcow
No the big companies would benefit from making it harder for new companies to start
aSillyApple
Ah but they'll inevitably lose money as people opt to use some sites less, if at all.
TryTurningItOffAndOn
Netflix is holding hands with Comcast on this one, but at least Amazon and Google still seem to be on our side.
HitlersArtCritic
Google has been working with Verizon with the Pixel and Project Loon works with mobile providers in general.
VrryBurntpork
The Netflix thing was misleading. It's just a caching system that any ISP can choose to use, and more than just Comcast does.
Grudgebearingmidget
See, you say that but https://media.netflix.com/en/company-blog/now-available-globally-fast-com-a-new-tool-to-check-your-internet-speed
Grudgebearingmidget
From what i've seen/heard, they released this to compete against other 'speed check' sites artificially boosting speeds.
HumansArePrettyNeat
Which only proves to savvy customers that they're being throttled but doesn't solve the issue of Comcast customers dropping subscriptions.
UnrustleYerJimmies
Wait, what? How would this benefit Netflix?!
HumansArePrettyNeat
Netflix is already being choked illegally. Same way the US taxes imported goods illegally. It can spend decades in litigation, meanwhile RIP
HumansArePrettyNeat
Additionally, in the long term once the dust settles it'll be more of a two way street and perceived necessities can lean on major providers
DonteHaversham
They already throttled bandwidth for Netflix, Netflix paid them off. They can't risk their streaming business being obliterated
Imgurkoff69
Because Netflix chewed up more than 25% of all backbone traffic and didn't pay for it.
thatdamnrat
So it's less holding hands so much as Comcast having Netflix by the balls?
aeonicentity
No one thinks if it the other way, that Netflix wants you to subsidise their bandwidth consumption by keeping your access costs high...
Schex44
You really need to work on your literacy skills
aeonicentity
All the literary skills in the world can't replace critical thinking skills. Think though why all the video/data providers are against this.
pilojo
Because they want the internet to be free so that as many people as possible can access their sites.
exlurker42
No that's valid. For certain services a captured market can be had with non neutrality. Netflix isn't one that I was referring to.
pilojo
If anything Netflix is dying to have more bandwidth consumption.
aeonicentity
Then they should, you know, pay for it.
Counterfit
They do pay for it. They pay their service providers like Akamai and so on.
pilojo
Pay twice? No thanks. Net neutrality dying means you'd have to subscribe to netflix then pay your ISP to allow you to view netflix.