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To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

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Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#81

Rather than "build our own" we should take back what used to belongs to us in the first place. They say there's a shortage of qualified I.T. people. If you work for telecoms who support a non-neutral internet, then quit. Go on strike. Work only for companies who support Net Neutrality. Kill the enemy using free market capitalism.

> If you work for telecoms who support a non-neutral internet, then quit. Go on strike.

For shame Peter! That's class warfare.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#82
post #16

Decentralising the Internet is the only way we are going to be able to stop corporations from lobbying (aka bribing) the government to make decisions in their favour. Check out https://substratum.net/ - they have an idea to do just that. As our computers get more and more powerful then there is no reason why we cant distribute more of what forces the internet to be centralised, if no one controls it then it can be fr…

Unless I'm misunderstanding it, the Substratum project you've linked is attempting to implement a decentralized WEB, not a decentralized INTERNET. From what I gather, Substratum would still be running on the same internet backbone, and be subject to the same consequences if Net Neutrality is repelled.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#83
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Most countries like to copy the most successful country on Earth. By what criteria is the USA "most successful country on earth"? Also, by "most countries" you mean "countries with legal codes even vaguely compatible with Westminster-derived legal concepts" which is in no way "most countries" in a global sense, right?

> By what criteria is the USA "most successful country on earth"? Power, influence, GDP. Things that matter to politicians, which are the ones that get to choose these matters.

US soft power and influence are waning (e.g. gutting if the state department) and the US consumer is about to take a hit with a massive transfer of wealth to the super rich. Even with the hard military power, I don’t see how the US is the “most successful country on earth”.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#84
post #56
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see how that's straightforward, especially numbers 3 and 4. Are you gonna vote out the president just for NN? Even if you don't think the other guy is gonna be much different in that regard? Americans cast one single vote (in presidential elections) for one of two candidates, on a myriad of issues of every level of seriousness. Leaving aside the fight to convince a majority of americans, just deciding to vote…

One reason to raise stink now is to make it clear to any candidates for 2018 and 2020 elections that this is an issue to which they can pander for the sake of good PR and votes. That applies also (and, perhaps, especially) to the primaries.

This Congress has been trying to gut healthcare and is about to pass an extremely destructive and unpopular tax “reform” bill. It is obvious they don’t care about popular opinion or even their chances for re-election.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#85
I'm in favor of network neutrality myself. My main criticism is that it doesn't go far enough, in that it only requires neutrality from network providers to content providers but not vice versa or like-to-like. But I do have a serious question for other supporters.

How can so many of those who are usually anti-regulatory "free market" extremists also be so strongly in favor of this regulation?

* This is their theory, not necessarily mine * Internet service is a market. In theory, without network-neutrality regulation, providers can charge extra for certain services but market forces will limit how bad that can get. You can't charge for something that people won't buy. Customers will go to competitors who offer what they think are more favorable terms, including competitors who claim no limits at all (even if the promises are misleading or impossible to keep). This already happens in other countries. People post the price sheets as support for network neutrality regulation, but those same price sheets are also evidence that lack of such regulation does not mean the end of the internet as we know it. As long as the content differentiation is explicit and subject to consumer choice, not behind-the-scenes discrimination, there should be no problem. * Now, back to my own thoughts *

If somebody believes (as I do not) that markets are fully capable of regulating themselves in all necessary ways, why would they support regulation in this one case? Is it just because this particular regulation is seen as benefiting them personally? Is it because their "free market" beliefs are really pro-corporate beliefs, and network neutrality as currently defined benefits the corporations they like at the expense of the corporations they don't? Can anybody provide a convincing alternative free-market justification for network neutrality?

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#86
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most countries like to copy the most successful country on Earth. You probably think of things like software patents, that were rejected in the EU. But that was a very long fight! I hope we don't even have to _start_ the net neutrality fight in the EU, by winning it outside.

>Most countries like to copy the most successful country on Earth. By what criteria is the USA "most successful country on earth"? Also, by "most countries" you mean "countries with legal codes even vaguely compatible with Westminster-derived legal concepts" which is in no way "most countries" in a global sense, right?

> By what criteria is the USA "most successful country on earth"?

Given we're talking about the Internet. How about ARPANET?

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#87

I'm in favor of network neutrality myself. My main criticism is that it doesn't go far enough , in that it only requires neutrality from network providers to content providers but not vice versa or like-to-like. But I do have a serious question for other supporters. How can so many of those who are usually anti-regulatory "free market" extremists also be so strongly in favor of this regulation? * This is their theory…

>How can so many of those who are usually anti-regulatory "free market" extremists also be so strongly in favor of this regulation?

Because in the US, network providers (at least the last mile providers; those charging end consumers) are local monopolies. Most people in the US have one legit high speed internet option, a few have two. There is little competition and the barriers to entry for new comers is very high (cost of obtaining easements and running cable to every house). In situations like this, monopolies are to be regulated.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#88

Rather than "build our own" we should take back what used to belongs to us in the first place. They say there's a shortage of qualified I.T. people. If you work for telecoms who support a non-neutral internet, then quit. Go on strike. Work only for companies who support Net Neutrality. Kill the enemy using free market capitalism.

> They say there's a shortage of qualified I.T. people.

Whoever told you that is lying to you.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#89
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's be clear on something. "The Internet" doesn't care how Americans go about ruining their economy by prioritizing certain network traffic. As a Dutchie my Internet is largely unaffected by the FCC. If anything the FCC rejecting net neutrality may be a boon for investment in EU startups and might actually benefit the EU tech sector. So go right ahead and take a crap on yourself America. But let's be clear that the…

>As a Dutchie my Internet is largely unaffected by the FCC. You can't be more wrong. Since Netflix, Amazon, youporn, imgur, reddit will be affected by this and they will have to pay more to keep their bandwidth on the same level as now, or slower by only 10% (hey, they could slow down their network links by 60%, but since they pay 20M per year, its slower by only 10%!) you as the end, you the end consumer will have t…

> Since Netflix, Amazon,

The thing is, that if that would happen, a lot of people who got onto Netflix/Amazon for streaming content because it's a good convenience/price ratio, will simply revert to illegal downloads from local servers if the prices go up much. I recommended Netflix to people here in my poor farmer village and they got off it again and went back to illegal download simply because they did not want to pay the same price Americans pay while getting much less (quality) content.

Re: To Save Net Neutrality, We Must Build Our Own Internet

#90
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let's be clear on something. "The Internet" doesn't care how Americans go about ruining their economy by prioritizing certain network traffic. As a Dutchie my Internet is largely unaffected by the FCC. If anything the FCC rejecting net neutrality may be a boon for investment in EU startups and might actually benefit the EU tech sector. So go right ahead and take a crap on yourself America. But let's be clear that the…

Most countries like to copy the most successful country on Earth. You probably think of things like software patents, that were rejected in the EU. But that was a very long fight! I hope we don't even have to _start_ the net neutrality fight in the EU, by winning it outside.

>Most countries like to copy the most successful country on Earth.

Countries with free and universal healthcare: 117. Countries with free (but not universal) healthcare: 39. Countries with universal (but not free) healthcare: 2. Countries who copied the USA in having neither free nor universal healthcare: 42. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_univers...

Countries who voted in favour of the United Nations resolution “Combating glorification of Nazism, Neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”: 131. Countries who abstained from voting: 48. Countries who copied the USA and voted against the resolution: 2. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-un-nazi-...

Number of countries who copy the USA and spend more than more than 4.1% if their budgets on military expenditures: China, who spends 13.0%. USA spends 36.0% https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/04/24/the-to...

Number of countries who copy the US policy of not guaranteeing paid maternal leave: 2. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/us0211webwco...

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