The American Federal Communications Commission, (FCC), Chairman Ajit Pai has decided to trash the neutrality rules currently protecting consumers on the internet. His proposal will reverse the Title II classification of internet providers, which allows the agency to put strict limits on their behaviour, and replace it with the old “information service” classification, which a federal court has ruled is less comprehensive, weakening any protections that might replace those currently in force.
The “new rules” will not offer any legitimate consumer protections. Companies’ terms of service and related policies are not put in place to protect consumers, they protect companies! And companies can change them anytime it suits them. Why would a company violate its own policies and get in trouble with the FTC when they can just as easily promise open internet protections in the beginning then, later on, rewrite its policies, and implement new and potentially discriminatory practices.
Let’s say an internet provider is owned by a foreign interest, or say an oil company with a vested interest in killing any source of information regarding the environmental impacts it is having on the world. The question I ask is, why the hell WOULDN’T they block environmental websites from reaching the people they serve?
When you start to really think this through, you begin to realize the necessity for complete neutrality is vital for the functioning democracy. Killing the neutrality bill allows censorship on the full spectrum of conversation.
Here’s the kicker! Ajit Pai served two years as Associate General Counsel at Verizon Communications Inc., where he handled competition matters, regulatory issues, and counselling of business units on broadband initiatives. Just look up his online bio and you’ll see it’s true.
Is Verizon happy with Ajit’s proposal? You bet your ass they are. Is Ajit Pai neutral? No damn way!
Look down the road into the future and see how this will erode democracy by limiting public knowledge and opinion.
Mathieu Powell.
Writing Impacts.
www.writingimpacts.com