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View Full Version : Rand opposes Net Neutrality - why is this a techy problem?




TommyJeff
02-06-2015, 09:28 PM
Let me start by saying i may have made up the word 'techy', not sure if you spell it that way, but what I mean to say is that articles have been written that make it sound as though people in the tech world want Net Neutrality. How can this be so? I can understand the FCC wants more power and therefore would like N.N., same with owners of some larger companies who could gain from this new regulation. But when I hear about 'tech folks', I think more of the people who work in this industry and not the few heads of major companies or the FCC.
Could anyone touch upon this point? maybe I am missing something. I would think the people who have made success or money or are involved in the growing industry of technology would see the need to keep the govt out of their internet. maybe I am just an outsider and don't understand.

(here is one link, but not necessarily important to the question above, it only references these tech people who may want net neutrality.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/rand-paul-net-neutrality_n_6256368.html

GunnyFreedom
02-06-2015, 09:54 PM
Let me start by saying i may have made up the word 'techy', not sure if you spell it that way, but what I mean to say is that articles have been written that make it sound as though people in the tech world want Net Neutrality. How can this be so? I can understand the FCC wants more power and therefore would like N.N., same with owners of some larger companies who could gain from this new regulation. But when I hear about 'tech folks', I think more of the people who work in this industry and not the few heads of major companies or the FCC.
Could anyone touch upon this point? maybe I am missing something. I would think the people who have made success or money or are involved in the growing industry of technology would see the need to keep the govt out of their internet. maybe I am just an outsider and don't understand.

(here is one link, but not necessarily important to the question above, it only references these tech people who may want net neutrality.) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/rand-paul-net-neutrality_n_6256368.html

Same story in every industry, once they become "industry leaders" then they WANT govco regulation, to help keep the upstart competition at bay.

jeffro97
02-07-2015, 04:05 PM
WASHINGTON -- Silicon Valley companies want strong rules to protect net neutrality, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a likely GOP presidential contender who is vying to be seen as tech-friendly, is not in their corner.


When asked by The Huffington Post on Tuesday morning whether he has concerns about a plan backed by President Barack Obama, which would reclassify the Internet as a utility and ban companies from charging for better Internet access, Paul said, "Yeah, I don't want to see regulation of the Internet. I think it's the wrong way to go about it."


...

But Paul has a history of opposing net neutrality, and his aversion to reclassifying the Internet as a utility is consistent with that. In 2011, he co-sponsored a bill to repeal (http://www.randpaul2016.com/2011/02/senator-rand-paul-co-sponsors-resolution-of-disapproval-to-repeal-net-neutrality/) net neutrality regulations adopted by the FCC. The next year, BuzzFeed reported (http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/the-pauls-new-crusade-internet-freedom) that Paul backed an online manifesto that sought to block government net neutrality rules.

Net neutrality advocates fear (http://motherboard.vice.com/read/net-neutrality-monopoly-and-the-death-of-the-democratic-internet) that without FCC regulation, digital monopolies will develop, as big companies charge for Internet access. Paul said, "I don't like monopolies, but I also don't like monopolies where the government gives the monopoly. For example, in many cities, there's a virtual monopoly on cable."


He pointed out, "I think if there's evidence that someone has a monopoly, let's take away government privilege that creates the monopoly."


...

For now, Paul's position on net neutrality is not likely to be popular with many techies. The Internet Association -- which includes Google, Amazon, Facebook and Yahoo -- expressed support (http://internetassociation.org/111014netneutrality/) for Obama's proposal. And Paul has diverged from Silicon Valley on other issues it cares about, too. Last month, he was credited with helping kill (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/18/rand-paul-nsa-reform-bill_n_6182204.html) the USA Freedom Act, a bill intended to reform the surveillance practices of the National Security Agency. He said he voted against it because it didn't go far enough.

"He had written an op-ed with [Sens. Mark] Udall and [Ron] Wyden on NSA, and he seemed like he wanted to offer amendments and debate the bill," said a Senate Democrat aide. "It was probably always going to be difficult to get him, [but we] didn't really expect that he'd be opposed to even getting on the bill."


Brian Darling, a spokesman for Paul, said it's likely the tech industry would have ultimately ended up unhappy with that NSA bill, which is what happened with a version of the bill that was watered down in the House. In regard to net neutrality, he said, "Paul has always been clear that he supports no government intervention of the Internet, and this position is consistent with that."

Okay, so the general jist of the article (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/02/rand-paul-net-neutrality_n_6256368.html) seems fair. Oddly enough, I was listening to Tom Woods earlier today, and he had someone on talking about the Internet, and subsequently, Net Neutrality. I think that's worth a good lesson, and it really helped me understand a lot of the Net Neutrality stuff as well. I agree with Paul, in that net neutrality stinks, and is bad for the Internet.

[Tom Woods Show Episode 333] (http://tomwoods.com/podcast/ep-333-could-there-have-been-an-internet-without-the-state/)

cindy25
02-11-2015, 06:14 PM
I don't know how I feel about this. the broadband providers are de facto monopolies, as are the cable companies.

axiomata
02-11-2015, 09:19 PM
I don't know how I feel about this. the broadband providers are de facto monopolies, as are the cable companies.

Easy. Advocate ending local municipality enforced monopolies on utility right of ways.

nayjevin
02-28-2015, 10:29 AM
The DIY spirit of disruptive innovation has been supplanted by nannyrule. Exaggerated outrage and semi-activism funded by Soros.

FCC has a few recent 'good' moves that are sugar to the net neutrality pill.

It's 300+ pages and no one knows what is in it.

Tom Wheeler, former cable company lobbyist, appointed head of FCC by Obama, assures us there is nothing to be worried about.

mrsat_98
02-28-2015, 11:07 AM
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