The Death Knell For Net Neutrality?

Wheeler's proposed rules would end a free and open Internet and allow large corporations such as Amazon and Netflix to pay to have their content delivered more quickly and smoothly while small start-ups that couldn't afford to pay for the fast lane would be stuck with slow, lower quality service.
 
The principle of Net Neutrality is that ISPs are required to treat all content on the Internet equally and that users should have equal access to see any legal content. Wheeler's proposed changes are a result of a Federal Appeals Court decision from January of this year rejecting regulations designed to ensure fairness in the way America's ISPs handle information traveling through their networks (1). According to the court the problem wasn't that the FCC couldn't insist on "network neutrality." The problem was that the FCC tried to impose broadband rules under the wrong regulatory framework, and the court decided to let the FCC fix its mistake and rewrite its own updated rules.
 
For Americans, part of the problem appears to be due to Wheeler's past history as a lobbyist for cable and wireless companies. Wheeler said he would comply with the decision rather than appeal it. Apparently complying means selling out the population to the former monopolistic corporations that made him wealthy is more important than actually fixing the problem. Instead of fixing the problem Wheeler decided to provide a so-called "fast lane" for ISPs to hike up fees on sites trying to reach more customers, meaning that you will start paying more exorbitant fees to access the Internet through your provider, in effect turning over the Internet to the very same corporations he used to whore for. Allowing ISP monopolies to decide what bits of information end users receive and for how much is stupid and will not bode well for end users.
 
WHEELER’S DECISION IMPLIES COLLUSION WITH FORMER CRONIES
 
Wheeler's decision implies that he is still in cahoots with his former cronies, and the open Internet is in serious jeopardy. Wheeler's proposed rule would require:
 
•    That all ISPs transparently disclose to their subsidiaries and users all relevant information pertaining to the policies that govern their networks;
•    That no legal content be blocked; and
•    That no ISPs act in commercially unreasonable manners to have the Internet, including favoring traffic from affiliated entities.
 
Regardless of how innocuous Wheeler's proposal sounds, the rule would allow monopolistic ISPs to cut special deals with web companies to give them a fast lane that takes priority. In their current form, Wheeler's delusional proposal would enshrine pay-for-play Internet (2).
 
Wheeler plans to introduce his joke of a plan in less than 2 weeks. On May 15th, the FCC will propose Wheeler's rules under the guise of stopping big phone and cable companies from blocking websites or discriminating against apps and services they don't like, but as written, would do quite the opposite (3). Wheeler's proposal allows monopolies like Verizon, Time Warner Cable, AT&T, Comcast or any other large ISP to charge extra fees to companies like Google, Amazon and Netflix -- who would in turn pass those fees along to their end users (4) -- for preferential treatment by guaranteeing that their content reaches end users ahead of those that don't pay.
 
COURT TOLD FCC TO RECLASSIFY ISPS AS TELECOMS
 
Naturally the behemoth monopolies love the idea of being able to pay to prioritize the Internet and not having to invest in upgrading their networks or responding to the needs of their customers and profiting instead from needless congestion and artificial scarcity. After all, no one is going to pay for an express lane unless the main thoroughfare is all jammed up. Wheeler's scheme would prove disastrous for startups, non-profits, independent content creators and every day Internet users who would have to pay to access what was once freely available information and content. Large ISPs would be lining their pockets and serving you only the content they choose to. That is not Net Neutrality.
 
The court told the FCC -- clearly -- that if it wished to ensure Internet users can send and receive information freely without ISP convolutions, the FCC had to classify ISPs as telecom carriers under Title II of the Communications Act. Instead of doing what the court told him, Wheeler instead capitulated and is trying to enrich his cohorts. Classifying ISPs as telecom carriers isn't easy given the political games in Washington but it's the only thing to do to protect the public and safeguard the Internet's future. Fortunately Wheeler's proposal is not final as it needs a couple more votes on the commission before he can submit the rules for public comment. The final rules won't be published until at least late summer.
 
Despite the outrageous capitulation to his industry cronies, Wheeler is doing his damnedest to defend his delusional ideas. Indeed, Wheeler doesn't get it (5). Speaking at the annual conference of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association in Los Angeles, CA recently, Wheeler tried to deflect criticism of his proposal claiming that his opponents were "misinterpreting" what he's proposed. According to Wheeler's duplicitous statement, his proposal won't permit ISP conglomerations to push some content into a "slow lane" while allowing others priority access. Obviously Wheeler does not understand how his cronies like to operate and is completely out of touch with reality.
 
WHEELER’S PROPOSAL WOULD KILL THE INTERNET AS WE KNOW IT
 
As noted by Craig Aaron from Free Press (6), Wheeler isn’t too bright. There's a better way to protect the public than creating a "fast lane" and Wheeler's excuses for not taking that path aren't convincing anyone. Reclassifying ISPs as common telecom carriers is not only the most sensible and courageous approach, it's the quickest way to bring a final resolution to this issue. It's also the only way to put the needs of Internet users first. Reclassifying ISPs as telecom carriers is about much more than net neutrality, and contrary to the blatantly fallacious claims by Wheeler, no one in America is going to trust his delusional judgment.
 
Wheeler's proposed capitulation to his industry cohorts is being met with a lot of resistance by many Democrats in the U.S. Congress, content providers and end users (7). Surprisingly, lawmakers have been pushing for strengthened Net neutrality rules. Now it's time for full the full FCC Committee to get the message that we will not tolerate Wheeler's profoundly corrupt delusions that cater to ISPs while screwing the rest of the country and killing the Internet as we know it. Whenever Wheeler tries to clarify his pusillanimous proposal, he ends up sticking his foot in his mouth (8). The only thing from stopping Wheeler from reclassifying his crooked cronies is the fact that he doesn't want to (9).
 
Is Wheeler’s capitulation to his cronies the death knell for Net neutrality? It very well could be unless we do something to stop it. Wheeler's words are useless and we can't let Net neutrality become another broken promise (10). Don't look to President Obama for help -- he appointed Wheeler and has broken many promises himself. To take action before the FCC meets on May 15 you have a few options: make your opinion known at fcc.gov or send an email to openinternet@fcc.gov; You can Tweet directly @TomWheelerFCC; you can sign online petitions such as this one at Free Press (11); and you can call FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler here (12). After the meeting there will be a "public comment" for a short period. Speak up and make your opinion known.



1-    http://www.alternet.org/fcc-about-axe-murder-net-neutrality-what-you-should-know
2-    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/04/23/the-fcc-is-planning-new-net-neutrality-rules-and-they-could-enshrine-pay-for-play
3-    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article38342.htm
4-    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/24/technology/fcc-new-net-neutrality-rules.html?_r=0
5-    http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/04/30-6
6-    http://www.freepress.net/press-release/106204/dear-chairman-wheeler-you-don%E2%80%99t-protect-net-neutrality-allowing-online
7-    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/25/1294636/-Net-neutrality-proposal-bombs-with-Democrats-content-providers-consumers
8-    http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/24/5647452/fcc-offers-vague-promises-to-keep-internet-open
9-    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/30/1295706/-FCC-Chair-I-could-make-Net-neutrality-happen-today-but-I-won-t
10-    http://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/05/02-8
11-    http://act.freepress.net/sign/internet_fcc_break
12-    http://act.freepress.net/call/internet_wheeler_nn/