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Free internet for all not such a bad idea

theguardian.com

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Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#21

Post by vegetablepotpie »

ozim wrote: post #12

Well I consider internet basic infrastructure like roads or water pipes. It enables business of all kind of sorts to grow and we are well past phase where internet is some kind of "weird academical geeky thing". Well maybe it is not basic human right, just like having access to a road is not but maybe we should have more internet infra paid with taxes.

>maybe we should have more internet infra paid with taxes

We already do, taxpayers are just not getting much value for their money.

>ISPs that take billions in government subsidies (from programs like the FCC’s Connect America fund) traditionally focus their efforts on more competitive, urban markets, leaving less-affluent cities and rural markets with sluggish DSL that fails to even meet the FCC’s base definition of broadband https://www.vice.com/en/article/ywkn4b/study-throwing-taxpay...

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#22

Post by lvs »

5560675260 wrote: post #19
dusted wrote: post #2

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations. [update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

There are several problems with this idea. As you say this infrastructure is important, but it's too important to centralise it and put into government's hands. If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with * poor service, since there will be no competition and little to no incentives to improve it * lack of privacy, since law enforcements and ra…

Making something a utility doesn't require it be centralized. You simply put it in municipal/local/state hands, as we do with all other utilities, and just set federal minimum standards. The federal government doesn't fill your potholes.

As it stands, internet access and services are incredibly centralized in the marketplace within just a handful of enormous companies.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#23

Post by netflixandkill »

luckyshot wrote: post #8
dusted wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I heard Estonians even get a state-sponsored E-Mail address, which I'd take any day over "hoping that google won't randomly delete me for reasons beyond my control".

I'm not sure I want my e-mail stored in government servers... Yet I don't like private companies storing it... And it's too complicated to manage on my own. Damn.

All of your communications, sure probably not, but for all the ones that are already for government purposes, with government entities, and other basic purposes it's a good place to start.

At least some uniquely identified email address is better than hoping things like court documents with legal implications get paper mailed to some previously known physical address you may or may not still have any access or relationship with.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#24

Post by dao- »

5560675260 wrote: post #19
dusted wrote: post #2

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations. [update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

There are several problems with this idea. As you say this infrastructure is important, but it's too important to centralise it and put into government's hands. If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with * poor service, since there will be no competition and little to no incentives to improve it * lack of privacy, since law enforcements and ra…

> If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with

In a functioning democracy, you'd be able to elect the right people to make sure service is maintained properly and not abused.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#25

Post by alexgmcm »

ozim wrote: post #12

Well I consider internet basic infrastructure like roads or water pipes. It enables business of all kind of sorts to grow and we are well past phase where internet is some kind of "weird academical geeky thing". Well maybe it is not basic human right, just like having access to a road is not but maybe we should have more internet infra paid with taxes.

Yeah, it really irritates me when renting or purchasing a house/apartment that they often won't say (sometimes don't even know) if it has fibre coverage or not.

I lived in a flat that only had ADSL a few years ago and I never intend on going back to that.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#27

Post by keiferski »

This approach (legislation) to resource distribution is often the wrong one. It’s better to simply make the item in question become a commodity, so much so that it’s universally accessible to even the poorest members of society.

Think of something like paper. Originally it was exceptionally expensive and only available to the wealthy or particular tradesmen. Scraps of already-used paper were reused because the material was so valuable.

Today, paper is basically free. In fact, we’ve gone to far in the opposite direction: people waste paper constantly and it’s an environmental problem.

If, in the early stages of paper, we had said “We need to mandate paper for everyone,” I’m skeptical that it would have been commodified. It seems to me that whatever method we use to make internet access easier and cheaper, it probably isn’t going to come from ISPs.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#28

Post by Shish2k »

5560675260 wrote: post #19
dusted wrote: post #2

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations. [update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

There are several problems with this idea. As you say this infrastructure is important, but it's too important to centralise it and put into government's hands. If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with * poor service, since there will be no competition and little to no incentives to improve it * lack of privacy, since law enforcements and ra…

I agree centralisation is bad - the model of “government ensures everybody has a certain minimum level of service (eg set themselves up as a free 4G ISP offering just enough speed to fill in HTML forms etc); anybody who wants good service can pay a private company for it” seems like it would be the best of both?

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#29

Post by jeofken »

dao- wrote: post #24
5560675260 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are several problems with this idea. As you say this infrastructure is important, but it's too important to centralise it and put into government's hands. If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with * poor service, since there will be no competition and little to no incentives to improve it * lack of privacy, since law enforcements and ra…

> If there is a government monopoly you will not be able to shop around, choose best service and will have to deal with In a functioning democracy, you'd be able to elect the right people to make sure service is maintained properly and not abused.

Political parties attract to their tops sophists who can manipulate and form personal alliances - it does not select for who can provide the greatest value at the lowest price.
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