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Taking The Profit Out Of Killing 'Net Neutrality' (cringely.com)
Robert Cringely has a plan to ensure that internet providers will never profit from the end of net neutrality:
We are being depended upon to act like sheep -- Internet browsing sheep, if such exist -- and without a plan that's exactly what we'll be. The key to my plan is that this is a rare instance where consumers are not alone. There are just as many or more huge companies that would prefer to keep Net Neutrality as those that oppose it... Those companies in favor of Net Neutrality obviously include the big streamers like Amazon, Hulu, Netflix, YouTube and a bunch of others. They also includes nearly every big Internet concern including Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft. Those are some pretty big friends to have on your side -- our side...
So I suggest we all join ZeroTier (ZT), a thriving networking startup operating in Irvine, California. There are other companies like it but I just think ZeroTier is presently the best. ZeroTier is a very sophisticated Virtual Private Network (VPN) company that has created a Software Defined Network that goes beyond what normal VPNs are capable of. To your computer or almost any other networked device (even your smart phone), ZT looks like an Ethernet port, whether your device has Ethernet or not. Through that virtual Ethernet port you connect to a virtual IPv6 Local Area Network that's as big as the Internet itself, though the only users on this overlay network are ZT members.
The trick is to get all those big companies that are pro-Net Neutrality to join ZT. The most it will cost even Netflix is $750 per month, which is probably less than the company spends on salad bars in their Los Gatos HQ. Embracing ZT doesn't mean rejecting the regular Internet. Netflix can still be reached the old fashion way. I just want them to add a presence on ZT, too... What the ISPs won't like about this plan is that ZT traffic can't be read to determine what rules or pricing to apply. They could throttle it all down, but throttling that much traffic isn't really practical.
So I suggest we all join ZeroTier (ZT), a thriving networking startup operating in Irvine, California. There are other companies like it but I just think ZeroTier is presently the best. ZeroTier is a very sophisticated Virtual Private Network (VPN) company that has created a Software Defined Network that goes beyond what normal VPNs are capable of. To your computer or almost any other networked device (even your smart phone), ZT looks like an Ethernet port, whether your device has Ethernet or not. Through that virtual Ethernet port you connect to a virtual IPv6 Local Area Network that's as big as the Internet itself, though the only users on this overlay network are ZT members.
The trick is to get all those big companies that are pro-Net Neutrality to join ZT. The most it will cost even Netflix is $750 per month, which is probably less than the company spends on salad bars in their Los Gatos HQ. Embracing ZT doesn't mean rejecting the regular Internet. Netflix can still be reached the old fashion way. I just want them to add a presence on ZT, too... What the ISPs won't like about this plan is that ZT traffic can't be read to determine what rules or pricing to apply. They could throttle it all down, but throttling that much traffic isn't really practical.
This approach (tunneling traffic to avoid the ISP slow lane) is too simple for a reason- it is trivial for the carriers, or anyone with simple flow data, to detect tunneled/VPN traffic and then route it prejudicially (even if the carrier cannot read the encrypted payload). Itâ(TM)s what PRC and other totalitarian regimes have been doing for years : penalizing tunneled traffic by default.
..from Zero Tier, because it "promotes cyberattacks." What do you do then?
There is not information here, no news, nothing funny just a blatant add for a company with a really expensive and really dubious sounding VPN. I view slashdot as my source of all news that is not fake. What went wrong here. @cowboy_neil - we need answers.
ZT traffic can't be read to determine what rules or pricing to apply
There's no need to read ZT traffic. There's no need to apply rules or pricing. They will just block all of it. 100% guaranteed.
If you think that Comcast/AT&T/Verizon, et.al., give a shit, you haven't been paying attention.
Rather than everyone joining a universal VPN, which as the parent mentioned they could just block, here is my proposal.
If you have a reasonable state, have the legislature create net neutrality rules in the state. All packets within the state must obey network neutrality. For the most part, this will take care of the problem within the state, as the Internet routes around the bullshit. You might need to have the state encourage a few key nodes to be located within the state as well.
This is not a 100% solution, but technically this is only affecting traffic in a state, so should not be subject to the FCC whining. At the very least it could get to court.
You could possibly combine the VPN approach such that the traffic between states in the network neutrality compact VPN all the packets between their states, so the bastards at the boarders have the choice between sending the packet or not since they have no information to prioritize on.
Of course red states would still be hosed. It is a pity I live in one..
They can say they like the current "net neutrality" because like all bills there are exceptions in the current "net neutrality" bill. Special conditions, special tax deductions, special FCC wink wink nod nod provisions, intended bureaucracy, etc. that allow big companies to skirt the law and still be in compliance with the law all while screwing over the little guy. If it truly was about "net neutrality" it would be a single bill, a few sentences, ..."all network traffic that travels on backbone carriers will be treated equally. Failure to comply is a felony for all board members and corporate executives including vice presidents of the guilty party. Mandatory sentencing for each offense shall not be less than 10 years in federal prison with no possibility of parole."
The current bill is full of BS. Anyone that is for it and loves it in it's current form is an idiot, hasn't read the current bill and finalized provisions. You know the one's that where written a year later and are being revised to this day. The one's that were allowed because of words like, "The Secretary shall determine...". These simple words corrupt the original intent of ANY bill by allowing any Administration to change federal law to their liking or their donors liking. These are the same people that believe Bill Gates wants to be taxed more as he stated on the Weirdie Rose show. In that case again they don't understand he would position all of his money and his foundation's money ahead of time to insure he would be taxed less. Why? Because like the current "net neutrality" bill, there will be lobbyists insuring the big dogs including the congresscritters get their "fair" share.
Wake up people. As long as there are provisions in any bill that say things like "The Secretary shall determine..." you will never get neutral anything. Congress as abdicated it's responsibility by using the above terms to act tough during a debate, "So and so is against this, or for this, blah blah blah, I'm the real champion for the little guy, blah blah blah", then after a bill is passed, it is perverted by both parties to serve themselves and their donors, all while patting each other on the back.
I dare you to find a single bill that doesn't have terms in them like the above. Understand how far the corruption goes. I know some you won't even try because it might hurt your precious cognitive dissonance. Run to your safe space commies.