Obama Says FCC Should Reclassify Internet As a Utility - Polidicks

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKcjQPVwfDk[/media] [quote= The Verge] President Obama has come out in support of reclassifying the internet as a utility, which would allow the Federal Communications Commission to enforce more robust regulations on it and protect net neutrality. "The time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do," Obama writes in a statement this morning. "To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services." In a statement outlining what he'd like internet service to look like, Obama highlights four major points: internet providers wouldn't be allowed to block websites offering legal content, they wouldn't be allowed to intentionally slow down or speed up certain websites or services based on their own preferences, and they wouldn't be able to offer paid fast lanes. Obama also asks that the FCC investigate and potentially apply net neutrality rules to the interconnect points that sit between service providers and content providers. That's potentially huge news for Netflix, which has been arguing that this area of the internet should be covered by net neutrality all year. Official presidential statement: [url]http://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality[/url] Source: The Verge: [url]http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/10/7185933/fcc-should-reclassify-internet-as-utility-obama-says[/url] [/quote]

Wait. Wouldn't this in theory force taxes to be placed on the internet in the regards to sales tax?

Nice to see Obama get involved.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46454189]Wait. Wouldn't this in theory force taxes to be placed on the internet in the regards to sales tax?[/QUOTE]no

General response to this is a thumbs up. Think it sums it up nicely

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46454189]Wait. Wouldn't this in theory force taxes to be placed on the internet in the regards to sales tax?[/QUOTE] Rather pay an internet tax over a corporate fee for data caps and streaming

[QUOTE=RIPBILLYMAYS;46454214]Rather pay an internet tax over a corporate fee for data caps and streaming[/QUOTE] Maybe, but what if governments make you pay more/give you less?

[QUOTE=NixNax123;46454200]no[/QUOTE] Yeah, I figure as much. Still though, something does not make me sit easy in the regards to this: [quote]Federal Communications Commission [B]to enforce more robust regulations[/B] on it and protect net neutrality[/quote] [editline]10th November 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=RIPBILLYMAYS;46454214]Rather pay an internet tax over a corporate fee for data caps and streaming[/QUOTE] You'd be paying both. Sorta like how certain states enforce internet taxes with the already implied data caps and shit.

Information Superhighway

I've considered it a utility for a long time, it's about time it got classified as one.

[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;46454226]Yeah, I figure as much. Still though, something does not make me sit easy in the regards to this:[/QUOTE] Every activist crusading for net neutrality has been implicitly asking for the government to have more control over the Internet and be more closely regulating it. This is exactly what people have been asking for, and surprisingly people seem to trust the government to control their Internet more than they trust corporations.

[QUOTE=catbarf;46454265]Every activist crusading for net neutrality has been implicitly asking for the government to have more control over the Internet and be more closely regulating it. This is exactly what people have been asking for, and surprisingly people seem to trust the government to control their Internet more than they trust corporations.[/QUOTE] corporations are showing that they aren't to be trusted with it so we're giving government the wheel

[QUOTE=catbarf;46454265]Every activist crusading for net neutrality has been implicitly asking for the government to have more control over the Internet and be more closely regulating it. This is exactly what people have been asking for, and surprisingly people seem to trust the government to control their Internet more than they trust corporations.[/QUOTE] Uh, but legislative control of the market is something completely different than executive presence and monitoring? That's like saying people saying that people wanting better quality of roads obviously mean they want more cops on the streets. [editline]10th November 2014[/editline] This is two completely different things, I seriously don't understand your way of thinking.

[QUOTE=catbarf;46454265]Every activist crusading for net neutrality has been implicitly asking for the government to have more control over the Internet and be more closely regulating it. This is exactly what people have been asking for, and surprisingly people seem to trust the government to control their Internet more than they trust corporations.[/QUOTE] Arguably people have some influence or input into how their government will make decisions (in practice what the people wish means nothing i guess) people have no control over corporations, unelected people with more influence than most politicians and often competition is either just for show or entirely none existent.

regulation isn't a bad thing at all, if there were no regulations then we'd be paying $200/month for 5mb (exaggeration probably) regulation would enforce net neutrality

I'm pretty sure he could simply tell Tom Wheeler to do exactly that. Wheeler is appointed by the President, and the FCC is entirely under the executive branch. Declaring support doesn't mean anything. Tell them to do it.

What exactly is it classified right now?

[QUOTE=Boaraes;46454419]What exactly is it classified right now?[/QUOTE] a service

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;46454304]corporations are showing that they aren't to be trusted with it so we're giving government the wheel[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=millan;46454311]Uh, but legislative control of the market is something completely different than executive presence and monitoring?[/QUOTE] Any enforcement of market regulations is going to come with at least enough oversight and monitoring to ensure compliance, and if that means sniffing traffic to ensure that it's all being treated fairly then that's what's going to happen. People seem to forget that federal regulation and control of private phone networks is why provision for wiretapping is legally mandated under [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications_Assistance_for_Law_Enforcement_Act]CALEA[/url], and is why we've been having spying scandals in the first place. If you think the government is just going to pass legislation to set these standards and stay entirely hands-off, well, good luck with that. It doesn't make much difference to me, but it's pretty short-sighted how quickly people flip-flop from being concerned about the government spying on their Internet access to being excited at the idea of the government having more control over their Internet access.

Pretty much every form you fill out has a line for email. Tons of companies have ditched paper job applications in preference of online applications. Important and essential tasks are performed via the internet daily (paying bills, checking bank accounts, going to class). There are people who rely on internet access for their entire income. It's the 21st century. The internet is a utility.

as long as Obama doesn't turn our internet into China's im all for this

[QUOTE=Cornish;46454505]as long as Obama doesn't turn our internet into China's im all for this[/QUOTE] I think he understands how horribly that would go down with literally everyone

the fcc wont let me be

I'm stunned, I didn't expect this to really happen [QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;46454392]I'm pretty sure he could simply tell Tom Wheeler to do exactly that. Wheeler is appointed by the President, and the FCC is entirely under the executive branch. Declaring support doesn't mean anything. Tell them to do it.[/QUOTE] He can't, the FCC is an independent agency outside of presidential control

WhiteHouse tldr, good move by Obama. [t]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2F-H-uCcAAnDAn.jpg:large[/t] [url]https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/531845009944096769[/url]

[QUOTE=Silentfood;46454744]WhiteHouse tldr, good move by Obama. [t]https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2F-H-uCcAAnDAn.jpg:large[/t] [url]https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/531845009944096769[/url][/QUOTE] pretty much exactly what we were asking for, this is so cool

[QUOTE=Te Great Skeeve;46454225]Maybe, but what if governments make you pay more/give you less?[/QUOTE] Lets say for the sake of your argument that internet service would be considered a utility in the same way that gas, electric, and water are. All of your current utilities are regulated monopolies. The city (ultimately the public) has complete control over the rates. Of course they still make a pretty penny, but you aren't being shafted by arbitrary rates. They have to submit a request for a rate hike.

[QUOTE=Colliseemoe;46454491]Pretty much every form you fill out has a line for email. Tons of companies have ditched paper job applications in preference of online applications. Important and essential tasks are performed via the internet daily (paying bills, checking bank accounts, going to class). There are people who rely on internet access for their entire income. It's the 21st century. The internet is a utility.[/QUOTE] Don't forgot some companies only take in Job job application through Online.

[QUOTE=theevilldeadII;46454970]Don't forgot some companies only take in Job job application through Online.[/QUOTE] even when I was job hunting back in 2007 pretty much anywhere I asked for applications they said "just fill it out online". It was a pain, given a lot of forms back then were complete shit and either didn't work right, or they were too selective and weeded you out for choosing the wrong job title to apply to out of a list of 20 for a store with 5 people manning it

[QUOTE=theevilldeadII;46454970]Don't forgot some companies only take in Job job application through Online.[/QUOTE] I can't remember the last time I was able to hand a resume in in person. It's do it online or don't do it at all.