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Republican Lawmaker Introduces Net Neutrality Legislation (variety.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the my-way-or-the-highway dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Variety: Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced net neutrality legislation on Tuesday that prohibits internet providers from blocking and throttling content, but does not address whether ISPs can create so-called "fast lanes" of traffic for sites willing to pay for it. The legislation also would require that ISPs disclose their terms of service, and ensure that federal law preempts any state efforts to establish rules of the road for internet traffic. "A lot of our innovators are saying, 'Let's go with things we have agreement on, and other things can be addressed later,'" Blackburn told Variety. She said that she was "very hopeful" about the prospects for the legislation because "an open internet and preserving that open internet is what people want to see happen. Let's preserve it. Let's nail it down. Let's stop the ping-ponging from one FCC commission to another. This is something where the Congress should act." Blackburn chairs a House subcommittee on communications and technology.

5 of 350 comments (clear)

  1. Re: Ajit's head gonna explode by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Net neutrality should have been implemented via the legislative process in the first place. Anything of substance that is done by means of executive or regulatory action can be easily undone by a new administration.

  2. Our ISP's best buddy by sasparillascott · · Score: 5, Informative

    This lady introduced the bill in the Senate that blew away the Internet privacy protections from our ISP's (so they couldn't monitor, catalog and monetize what you do on the internet) - which was the 1st thing the Trump Admin did after getting into office. I believe her state is the home of some big ISP. I.E. this is something the big ISP's want.

    The process was, the FCC (led by former Verizon corporate lawyer Ajit Pai) throws away the Net Neutrality - causing fear and some panic. Marsha and the other lobbied Republican members of congress ride to the rescue with new "Net Neutrality" legislation - which is anything but. And gets us maybe a little ways back towards Net Neutrality, but outlaws states doing their own Net Neutrality etc. (biggest threats to this huge new profit center for Comcast), they declare victory and we're screwed.

    This needs to be blocked and let the FCC's recent changes get slapped down in court.

  3. Fake Net Neutrality according to dslreports by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Tennessee-Rep-Marsha-Blackburn-Unveils-Fake-Net-Neutrality-Law-140921

    Enter Marsha Blackburn, who for years has rubber stamped every whim of sector giants like AT&T and Comcast.

    Blackburn has consistently fought against net neutrality. She has also vigorously defended protectionist state laws, written by companies like AT&T and Verizon, that restrict towns and cities from building their own broadband infrastructure (or in some cases striking public/private partnerships). Even in locations these incumbent ISPs refuse to serve (such as her home state of Tennessee, one of the least connected states in the nation). Such laws have one function: protecting incumbent ISP revenues from consumers tired of entrenched duopolies.

    Yet now she insists her Open Internet Preservation Act (pdf) will help protect the open internet, despite the fact it blatantly ignores all manner of potential violations, from zero rating and interconnection to paid prioritization deals. The bill also attempts to pre-empt state efforts to protect net neutrality, since again, the real goal is to prevent tougher rules -- not protect consumers.

  4. Don't trust her... by The-Forge · · Score: 4, Informative

    Don't trust Blackburn. It's already leaking out that Comcast's lawyers are the ones writing this legislation. https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/qvw8k5/comcast-fcc-net-neutrality-law

  5. Re:Keep the bad parts by nucrash · · Score: 3, Informative

    You would think so, but reality is often far more convoluted than theory. Theories are nice and clean until you start building in exceptions. This is no different that a program. You code based on a simple function, but as you add features, exceptions, business logic, and error handling; your code becomes this monstrosity where you begin to wonder what the original intent was in the first place.

    Net Neutrality is in the same way not as clear cut as you might think. That's not to say that I am not in favor of Net Neutrality. I am. Yet there are some things that clearly benefit from lower latency such as voice communications or video to video conversations or even remotely controlling devices from afar. Even electronic gaming and our own stock market would pay for a lower level ping if given the opportunity.

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    Place something witty here