Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Net Neutrality Seen Through the Telegraph

Posted by samzenpus on from the doomed-to-repeat-it dept.

James McP writes "Ars Technica has a write-up on the unregulated telegraph of the 19th century, which gives a view into what could happen to an internet lacking any regulation mandating neutrality. The owners of the 'Victorian internet' used their control of the telegraph to prop up monopolies, manipulate elections, facilitate insider trading, and censor criticism."

8 of 249 comments (clear)

  1. Duh by Opportunist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why do you think certain groups are so pushing against it? Telcos, news networks... It's no coincidence that the ones pushing to abandon NN are also the ones dealing in information.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:Duh by GrpA · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually, I think it's just because they see it as another revenue stream ( ie, Why should google make all that money from using our services, without paying us for the privilege. How can we charge them?)

      I don't think the average telco exec is bright enough to see the myriad of ways that they can abuse the situation until they actually manifest. After all, being truly machiavellian is an art rarely practiced outside of government.

      GrpA

      --
      Enjoy science fiction? "Turing Evolved" - AI, Mecha, Androids and rail-gun battles. What more could you want?
    2. Re:Duh by wall0159 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      "being truly machiavellian is an art rarely practiced outside of government." ...and a million executives howled with laughter, patted each other on the back, and spoke their congratulations about the latest advertising campaign...

  2. It doesn't matter who is violating your rights by iamacat · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The bottom line is that you are being screwed. It's a mistake to interpret constitution as only giving us protection against federal government. Any entity with significant power over individuals must be prevented from restricting freedom of speech or any other basic rights that we consider important. ISPs must not be allowed to discriminate against any legal but unpopular content, or against use of particular protocols like BitTorrent. Companies must not be allowed to fire people based on private Facebook posts.

    1. Re:It doesn't matter who is violating your rights by Fjodor42 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Isn't that extra payment what is done through paying extra for faster connections? If I pay, as I do, for a 20/2 connection, shouldn't I be able to get exactly 20/2 traffic, provided that the other end is up to the task?

      --
      "The number you have dialed is imaginary. Please rotate your phone 90 degrees and try again."
    2. Re:It doesn't matter who is violating your rights by iamacat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Anything that I do during my personal, unpaid time and without claiming to represent the company is private as far as my employer is concerned. If I am software engineer, it should be as illegal for my boss to fire me based on a sex video s/he found on Internet as it would be to make me have sex with him/her as a condition of my employment.

      Besides, where is the guarantee of authenticity? My friends could post any crap they want about me without my knowledge or permission, or someone may just happen to have the same name or similar appearance. Add the widespread use of Photoshop and we have an environment where anyone's job is in jeopardy just because any other random person happens not to like them, lacks discretion or feels like pulling a practical joke. Are you saying not regulating this at all is the best solution for public interest?

  3. No common sense by FranTaylor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "It's a service you pay for that an ISP can regulate however it wants."

    No they are a regulated utility like the gas or the water. The gas company is required to pump gas through its pipes, they cannot pump salad oil or dishwater without getting into trouble.

    "That you're actually arguing that an ISP has power over individuals is hysterical exaggeration."

    I work from home and I need the Internet to connect to work. I have only one choice of ISP. My ISP has GREAT power over me. They can force me to MOVE OUT OF MY HOME or GET ANOTHER JOB if they decide that they do not want me as a customer.

    "Somehow, people made do without the internet mere decades ago."

    Somehow, that means that it does not require regulation? How does that follow? That argument can be used against the regulation of ANY technology.

  4. Clueless about power by FranTaylor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Internet and the gear that runs it is a source of Power to whoever runs it.

    This power WILL be taken and abused by whoever controls it.

    Take off your blinders and understand that our economic system and our society exist ONLY because there are government regulations to hold it together.

    You speak of corporations acting freely but you fail to realize that it is the power of government that allows them to have this freedom in the first place.

    You are INSULTING and WRONG to paint everyone who disagrees with you as hating free markets.

    Again you FAIL to understand that free markets DO NOT EXIST without government regulation to keep them free.

    Here let me fix one of your sentences for you:

    "Yep, history sure has shown how pure, fair, reliable, trustworthy, and incorruptible corporations are. Uh-huh."