Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FCC Will Also Order States To Scrap Plans For Their Own Net Neutrality Laws (arstechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the double-win-for-ISPs dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: In addition to ditching its own net neutrality rules, the Federal Communications Commission also plans to tell state and local governments that they cannot impose local laws regulating broadband service. This detail was revealed by senior FCC officials in a phone briefing with reporters today, and it is a victory for broadband providers that asked for widespread preemption of state laws. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's proposed order finds that state and local laws must be preempted if they conflict with the U.S. government's policy of deregulating broadband Internet service, FCC officials said. The FCC will vote on the order at its December 14 meeting. It isn't clear yet exactly how extensive the preemption will be. Preemption would clearly prevent states from imposing net neutrality laws similar to the ones being repealed by the FCC, but it could also prevent state laws related to the privacy of Internet users or other consumer protections. Pai's staff said that states and other localities do not have jurisdiction over broadband because it is an interstate service and that it would subvert federal policy for states and localities to impose their own rules.

9 of 280 comments (clear)

  1. B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    states rights!

    1. Re: B-b-b-b-but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think all the intelligent things about net neutility have already been said. Now it's just fuck Ajit Pai, and fuck Donald Trump, and fuck rich corporations that just look for ways to screw people more instead of adding something of value to society.

  2. Folks, we are in big trouble by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I cannot think of a better way to kill the tech sector.

  3. Interstate service but not a utility? by Tinsoldier314 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Somehow the rationalization that the internet is simultaneously a vital interstate service that precludes state regulation and a purely market driven business seems like a big business wet dream.

    States can regulate and tax most businesses but not *this* business because it's special for "reasons".

  4. Dear Mr. Pai by JohnFen · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck you twice, then. Once for letting the foxes into the henhouse, and once more for locking the door behind them.

  5. 10th Amendment baby! by sphealey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    - - - - - In addition to ditching its own net neutrality rules, the Federal Communications Commission also plans to tell state and local governments that they cannot impose local laws regulating broadband service. - - - - -

    I suspect that tomorrow will not be a big day for my hard Radical Right coworkers to expound on the centrality of the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, nor to opine on "states' rights". Just a guess.

  6. Re: Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck that. I blame people that actually voted for Trump and those that didnâ(TM)t vote.

  7. Re:Keep on draining the consumer protection swamp by mukinrestak · · Score: 5, Informative

    No, he was required to appoint a Republican. He didn't have to choose an ISP mouthpiece/lobbyist as the one he appointed.

  8. Re:you either keep control or you lose it, no both by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem is that the ISPs actually don't want the internet in the first place.
    So they just black list any site that doesn't pay them, their customers are locked in to the ISP since they have a monopoly where they live, so they just can't access those sites.

    In the end every website is blocked and the only thing you can do is get to the ISP's content (News/Movies/TV Series) because of vertical integration. And this is exactly what the ISP would like the best.

    It is win-win for the ISP, either sites pay them and they got money, or they become a content monopoly and they get more money by increasing prices.