Net Neutrality

[quagmire_uk]

Ah, that must be it.

To sum it up, Comcast wanted Netflix to pay them money, because "the cable giant sought compensation for the heavy traffic that Netflix users generate, arguing that it costs the company a lot to deliver Internet video." Netflix wouldn't, so they cut speeds of Netflix traffic by 30%.

As the quote at the end says, "ISPs should be in the business of charging their users for access the Internet, not of charging the rest of the Internet for access to their users." But that's what Comcast were doing. They saying "Hey Netflix, you want Comcast customers to be able to watch Netflix videos? Then you need to pay Comcast!"

[Duncan Edwards]

Netflix is as a good and example as anything. They have always charged more for higher resolution programming so why can't they support the increased cost of somebody else's bandwidth? Should a cancer researcher using a supercomputer in another country have his bandwidth reduced so somebody can watch House of Cards? Comcast says they will never do this but you would be crazy to think they won't do it in some fashion that doesn't benefit them. They're making the investment in getting this to you so why shouldn't they benefit? The internet might be a utility to some but unlike the electric company it's not publicly owned nor are it's providers publicly regulated like a municipal utility. If i want to do business with the gas company I have one option. With the internet I've got more with more on the way. Unlike the gas company there's competition there. At one time the phone company was a national public utility and airlines were regulated down to how much they could charge for a Coke. Letting the market take over has brought us an explosive increase in choice at a lower price for both of those.

All of this might sound contradictory because it is. We've got something that we've never had before so it's difficult to know what shape it's going to take. I can say for sure that there's much more growth to be had and the current model under net neutrality probably isn't going to support that future.

[DJlurker]

There are already antitrust laws in place to protect us from big corporations abusing their power in such a manner.

[Fred588]

I think the main conflict of interest comes when the internet service provider is ALSO a content provider and starts to charge more for content from other content providers.

[dlodoski]

There are already antitrust laws in place to protect us from big corporations abusing their power in such a manner.

Nice thought.

But that's not the purpose of anti-trust law. Even if it was, you'd probably find it about as relevant as the Fairness Doctrine (remember that?)

[Mynock]

I think the main conflict of interest comes when the internet service provider is ALSO a content provider and starts to charge more for content from other content providers.

This is a very good point. Maybe all we need is some sort of law that says an ISP can't also be a content provider. If the ISP's only job is to be the gatekeeper, and they have no interest in what's beyond the gate, then no reason/interest who is using what.

[QuicksandMania]

Another opinion piece:

GOOD RIDDANCE TO “NET NEUTRALITY” RULES

"The specter of ISPs offering glacial access to certain websites is a smokescreen, designed to obscure the net-neutrality movement’s goal: preventing anyone from having superior, unequal access to customers."

[Nessie]

Another opinion piece:

I skipped the video but I promise you that I read the longer text slowly. Twice. And this is the effect it had on me:

Yikes!

I now yearn deeply for a network of public ISPs, funded by taxes, detached from all profit motive and forbidden to produce content lest it be tempted to prioritize itself. It shall be strictly bound by the rule of Net Neutrality and allowed to take down the sites of only true criminal enterprises (like we do now) after evidence is collected (ditto).

The writer believes with absolute faith that profit is good and that companies will serve the customer to gain this profit. But the motivation of large companies is often not what it produces, innovative or mundane, nor does the customer count as anything but a cash cow.

And if you can't get money honorably, all too often it's done dishonorably. Lazy company management knows that selling bad products and lying to the customer can work, and it's easier than building the thing right. Yes, they'll throttle their competition if they're sure they can. And now that they can't fob off responsibility onto the Net Neutrality law, places like this forum are vulnerable to complaints by the morality kooks (is that why we have this thread?).

I'd Google it, but it seems very obvious to me.

Nessie

[Mr Mudster]

Funded by taxes?! Seig Heil! Let's create another beautiful utopia!

The only thing our tax dollars should fund is the defense of this nation, and the physical infrastructure that made it great. The Internet should always be a commercial industry. It was before Net Neuter-ality, and it will be that way once again. I always find it amazing that the biggest thing that caused companies like Amazon, Google, NetFlix and others to become such huge corporate behemoths has been Net Neutrality. And those that say that we need to benefit the small business operator (like myself) continue to want MORE government intrusion into our lives, and the continued Net Neutrality absurdity. Ridiculous!

Those who cannot remember the past are destined to repeat it.

[Fred588]

Defense is not the only purpose of government. See the Declaration of Independence, "... that to secure these rights government is instituted among men." I believe, also, that a careful examination will reveal that the Internet was not developed in the absence of governmental assistance, any more than were the railroads.

Funded by taxes?! Seig Heil! Let's create another beautiful utopia!

The only thing our tax dollars should fund is the defense of this nation, and the physical infrastructure that made it great. The Internet should always be a commercial industry. It was before Net Neuter-ality, and it will be that way once again. I always find it amazing that the biggest thing that caused companies like Amazon, Google, NetFlix and others to become such huge corporate behemoths has been Net Neutrality. And those that say that we need to benefit the small business operator (like myself) continue to want MORE government intrusion into our lives, and the continued Net Neutrality absurdity. Ridiculous!

Those who cannot remember the past are destined to repeat it.