Today, the FCC voted Tom Wheeler net neutrality proposal as a 3-2 majority came put in favor of a “fast track” internet for companies paying more.
Despite public dissent that has been intense for months against the proposal, Chairman Tom Wheeler remained resolute on the issue, even as he claimed to make concessions.
Originally, the FCC appeared to cave, saying that they would “change the language of the proposal” to keep ISP’s accountable. But, as expected, it made no difference. The same law has been voted on, and is now on its way to the courts to either approve or strike down.
Under the law, ISP’s would be given the ability to charge more for better traffic speeds. This would severely disadvantage anyone unable to afford these fees, such as startups and smaller companies. Not to mention force higher prices on consumers, after online content providers have to up their costs to cover it.
The FCC claims that now they are open to public opinion on the proposal. But considering they have blatantly ignored public calls against the measures since they were first announced, and that the Net Neutrality issues has been fought against on numerous fronts for years without any change from the FCC, it seems it doesn’t seem like they are that interested in what the public has to say.
Wheeler denies his proposal will create a two-tiered internet.
There is one Internet. Not a fast internet. Not a slow Internet. One Internet. Those who have been expressing themselves will now be able to see what we are actually proposing.
Nothing in this proposal authorizes paid prioritization despite what has been incorrectly stated today. The potential for there to be some kind of a fast lane available to only a few has many people concerned. Personally, I don’t like the idea that the Internet could be divided into haves and have-nots and I will work to see that that does not happen. In this item we have specifically asked whether and how to prevent the kind of paid prioritization that could result in fast lanes.
The issue is not what was intended, it is what will be allowed under the law. Even officials in the commission were asking Wheeler to put a halt on the proposal for that very reason. Which he refused to do. And every opponent of the law has brought up numerous problems that could arise, only to be ignored while the FCC pushed through the proposal.
It seems to me like Wheeler is blatant bending over for the telecom companies.
Source: Ars Technica
