Federal regulators unveiled a plan today that would give Internet providers broad powers to determine what websites and online services their customers can see and use. The Washington Post reports this now sets the stage for a crucial vote next month at the FCC that could reshape the entire digital ecosystem. The agency's Republican chairman, Ajit Pai, has made undoing the government's net neutrality rules one of his top priorities, and Tuesday's move hands a win to big broadband companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast.
In a release, Pai said his proposal would prevent the government from "micromanaging the Internet." In place of the existing rules, he added, the FCC would "simply require Internet service providers to be transparent about their practices." The proposal would also shift some enforcement responsibility to the Federal Trade Commission, which can sue companies whose actions do not reflect the commitments or statements they have made to the public.
Not surprisingly, those aforementioned giant Internet providers welcomed the FCC announcement -- in a statement, Verizon said, "We’re very encouraged by Chairman Pai's announcement today that the FCC will move forward next month to restore the successful light-touch regulatory framework for internet services."
Right. "Light-touch regulation" will replace something everyone hates--fairness. Get ready to pay through the nose. Internet innovation, which is a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE portion of our economy, will grind to a halt. The richest companies will have yet another advantage over the little companies, and the barrier for starting a new company will be far greater. This time the consumer loses bigtime. The country loses bigtime. The entire economy loses bigtime.
Only six people are in favor of this--the CEOs of three internet giants and the three Republican members of the FCC who are planning on working for those big three companies (and getting millions for their efforts) as soon as their terms expire. And they are going to pull it off because this will slip under the radar thanks to the 70-headlines-a-day news world we live in today.
This is the sort of issue that should make us all rise up. The FCC just spit in your face. Are you just going to wipe it off and go on your merry way?
(How do you really feel, Rick?)
