Mob-Driven Internet Policy
The Obama FCC admitted that it could not find the sweet spot. In the 2015 Open Internet Order, former Chairman Wheeler simply claimed regulatory authority to sanction firms for behaviors he could not anticipate. Rather than creating bright line rules, Wheeler raised his voice and issued threats. Angry threats have subsequently become the preferred way to regulate not only the Internet but its regulators as well. This is not productive, but it’s the road chosen by many.
John Oliver’s Attacks on the FCC
There is ample evidence that the FCC gave proper consideration to the useful and relevant legal, economic, and technical comments offered in the proceeding. The fact that John Oliver’s audience is angry isn’t relevant, and it’s not even news.
No Free Speech Shields for Frauds
How hard would it be for platforms to add a condition to their terms of use to the effect that they will not host content for firms that engage in intentional, deliberate deception to sell products? This is different from regulating their speech and potentially more effective.
Net Neutrality Lawmaking May Be Near
Finding sponsors to carry the bill may be troublesome before the mid-term, but a legitimate work product will be useful whenever Congress is of a mind to consider legislating. We may actually be closer to legitimate, regular Congressional action on Internet regulation than we’ve been since the summer of 2010.
CyberTurfing: The Way Democracy Ends
These tools enable one activist to look to the Internet like a whole crowd. It also enables activists to look like they vote in districts where they don’t live and to make phone calls to Congress that look like they come from constituents when they don’t. This is a corruption of our democracy.
California’s Shining Path to Internet Regulation
California simply has some motivated politicians seeking to capitalize on the state’s animus toward the FCC, Washington, the Red States, and the Trump Administration with a symbolic act of rebellion. Net neutrality is a California export, so in some sense it’s fitting for it to come home.
Judge Kavanaugh and the Internet
Changing ISPs from their historic status to Title II is a move the FCC can’t make without Congressional authorization. This is especially true given the 1996 Telecommunications Act clearly declares ISPs to be information services. There is no clue in the ’96 Act that substituting dial-up for broadband changes the nature of ISP service.
Europe’s Piracy Dilemma
Their problem in the long tail of pirates, scammers, and amateurs who impose costs on the platform but don’t generate revenue. That’s a business model issue that should concern Alphabet. It’s not an excuse for making artists pay for YouTube’s content-related costs out of their own pockets to support piracy.
FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly on 5G
[powerpress] FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly joined us for a High Tech Forum podcast this week to bring us up-to-date on FCC issues such as 5G, broadband deployment, mid-band spectrum, and…
Broadband Speed Improving Faster
5G isn’t here yet, but it’s already stimulating a competitive response from incumbents. Better broadband plans and prices than we might see without this looming threat are entering the market.