Some very brief thoughts on the next steps fpor the FCC

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Please remember I do not necessarily endorse ip mailings. Djf



Begin forwarded message:

> From: Charles Brown <cbrown () flyingcircuit com>
> Date: April 7, 2010 6:25:20 PM EDT
> To: "David Reed P." <dpreed () reed com>
> Cc: Brown Charles <cbrown () flyingcircuit com>, dave () farber net
> Subject: Re: [IP] Some very brief thoughts on the next steps fpor the FCC

> To sustain the Republic, a new Internet is required.  An Internet founded for and by communities of people.  A 
> "communications commons", with innovation at the core of the technical infrastructure.  The people will build and 
> deploy their own communities, and create their own economic values absent the heavy hand of crony capitalism.  They 
> only need the tools.
>
> It is the people's electromagnetic spectrum.  And, regardless of what you may have been told, it is largely unused.  
> Today, it is an Orwellian tool of the corrupt nexus of political and economic power.   
>
> A single act of civil disobedience is admirable.  A collective act of civil disobedience builds a powerful 
> alternative.
>
> Free and open communications is the lifeblood of any democratic society.  Like the financial industry, consolidation 
> of "content and access" props-up restrictive regimes of centralization.  Today, ATT gets gov't communications 
> contracts because it's "too big to fail" and play nexus ball.  We saw this with the wiretapping.   We can see this 
> onerous trend at work in China, Iran, and many other countries.  
>
> Can't happen here?  None of us can afford to let this happen.  And, it's happening now.
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: "David P. Reed" <dpreed () reed com>
> Date: April 7, 2010 6:51:44 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Some very brief thoughts on the next steps fpor the FCC
>
> Another path:
>
> Forget the FCC.  The process that kills the Internet happens when, in the name of "our pipes", those who merely 
> provide *access* to the Internet attempt to define what is, and what is not, the Internet for captive subscribers.
>
> Competition does not magically fix this.  (Some forms of competition begin by destroying the Internet, then making a 
> set of walled gardens, because it is *what you can reach* and *who you can connect to* that defines user value of the 
> Internet, not speed).
>
> We need to recognize that the Internet *transcends* the power of the US Gov't.  and *act like it*.  Do not just 
> forget the FCC, ignore them. Do not accept the right of gov't or Comcast or ATT to restrict who you can connect to 
> through the Internet, or their right to interfere with your connectivity, merely because they own your pipes.
>
> Start using peer-to-peer solutions.   Use TOR if you have to.  Blow up the rate limiters.  Take control of your 
> iPhone and install software that fights for capacity on the 3G network.
>
> Cooperate with those who build a shared network, and bypass or shut down those who would restrict it.  Manage your 
> own traffic, don't let them shut down your traffic in the name of protecting their ability to exploit you.
>
> Build a free and open Internet despite those who would shut it down and balkanize it.
>
>
> On 04/06/2010 07:23 PM, David Farber wrote:
> > There are three apparent paths for the FCC.
> >
> > 1. Ask the Congress to change the law. Given the exhaustion of the Hill after the Health debate and the financial 
> > system regulations, it is doubtful that they want to get involved in what is likely to be a mess in a bi-election 
> > year. 
> >
> > 2. They could change the status of the Internet and make it a Title 2 Telecommunications service. Shades of the old 
> > heavy regulatory structure. Doing this might undercut the ability of the industry to raise capital and cause a 
> > serious market impact. Also it would change the network culture in not necessarily beneficial ways Big gamble for 
> > the FCC and the Internet.
> >
> > 3. They could appeal the ruling and buy time and pay attention to the National Bandwidth issues. Lots to gain and 
> > little to loose.
> >
> > Dave



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