ACLU Urges Cities To Build Public Broadband To Protect Net Neutrality (thehill.com)

The ACLU is calling on cities across the country to build their own public municipal broadband networks to help preserve net neutrality after the Federal Communications Commission repealed the open internet rules. From a report: In a report released Thursday morning, the civil liberties group argued that in the absence of the FCC's rules cities could give residents an alternative to private service providers who will soon no longer be required to treat all web traffic equally. "Internet service has become as essential as utilities like water and electricity, and local governments should treat it that way," Jay Stanley, an ACLU policy analyst who authored the report, said in a statement. "If local leaders want to protect their constituents' rights and expand quality internet access, then community broadband is an excellent way to do that," Stanley added. The ACLU sent the report to more than 100 mayors across the country who had spoken out against the FCC's decision to scrap the rules.

Comments

Re:Great idea!

[CodeHog]

The people who use it perhaps? Or would you rather have Big Company ISP nickel and dimeing you to death for each 'tier' of service you want? Basic - email and basic web sites, ISP search engine only. Basic plus get's you a few more web sites and maybe some with embedded video. Then your social teir, twitter, instagram, facebook, snapchat, etc etc. Then streaming per each service. Oh and they get to double dip by injecting their own advertisements into your service. VPN to circumvent? Block that traffic.

Re:Society's wealth is the business of The People.

[Comboman]

Why should government be in business?

Because private business has refused to supply a necessary public service.

There needs to be a Separation of Business and State.

You are free to use a private internet service (or buy bottled water from the store to flush your toilet) if you so desire. Those of us that feel the State is better suited to provide those services will utilize them.

After all, this whole problem has arisen from the fact that State's have chosen winners and losers, and thereby granted monopolies over communication infrastructure.

There are a limited number of available frequencies and places to put utility poles. This is the very definition of a Natural Monopoly which the State can choose to either heavily regulate or own to serve the public good.

In 21 states, cities *can't* do this

[elrous0]

State lawmakers in 21 states, after generous brib....ahem "campaign contributions" from cablecos and telcos, have decided that cities in their states don't get to make this choice for themselves. The most embarrassing example of this is Tennessee, which restricts other cities in the state from following Chattanooga's groundbreaking example.

Re:You're still forcing me to pay for Gov solution

[rukiddingme]

I'm not "free" to use a private internet service when there is a competing "public" option; you're forcing me to pay for that "public" option TOO.

If the public option was paid on a monthly subscription basis (such as people pay now), how would that be forcing you to pay for both the public and private options? Don't be such a retard.