Comments on: FCC Enters Parallel Universe on First Amendment & Net Neutrality Issues http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/ Keeping politicians' hands off the Net & everything else related to technology Sun, 27 May 2012 22:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Net Neutrality & the First Amendment http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-69752 Net Neutrality & the First Amendment Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:48:13 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-69752 <p>[...] is the Internet’s First Amendment.” It’s utter rubbish as I have documented here many times before. But now Sen. Al Franken is running around sputtering such nonsense, as he did in this [...]</p> [...] is the Internet’s First Amendment.” It’s utter rubbish as I have documented here many times before. But now Sen. Al Franken is running around sputtering such nonsense, as he did in this [...]

]]> By: Net Neutrality & the First Amendment http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-69751 Net Neutrality & the First Amendment Mon, 09 Aug 2010 00:46:13 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-69751 <p>[...] the Internet’s First Amendment.”  It’s utter rubbish as I have documented here many times before.  But now Sen. Al Franken is running around sputtering such nonsense, as he did in [...]</p> [...] the Internet’s First Amendment.”  It’s utter rubbish as I have documented here many times before.  But now Sen. Al Franken is running around sputtering such nonsense, as he did in [...]

]]> By: The “Problem of Proportionality” in the Debate over Net Neutrality — Technology Liberation Front http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64273 The “Problem of Proportionality” in the Debate over Net Neutrality — Technology Liberation Front Mon, 21 Dec 2009 16:44:57 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64273 <p>[...] week I commented on a severely one-sided FCC net neutrality hearing that featured a endless parade of horribles being [...]</p> [...] week I commented on a severely one-sided FCC net neutrality hearing that featured a endless parade of horribles being [...]

]]> By: The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64112 The Progress & Freedom Foundation Blog Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:44:46 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64112 <p><strong>The First Amendment & Net Neutrality: Be Careful What You Wish For...</strong></p> <p>As I noted here a few days ago, the Federal Communications Commission held a workshop on Tuesday about "Speech, Democratic Engagement, and the Open Internet." It was a shockingly one-sided affair with the deck being stacked almost entirely in favor.....</p> The First Amendment & Net Neutrality: Be Careful What You Wish For…

As I noted here a few days ago, the Federal Communications Commission held a workshop on Tuesday about “Speech, Democratic Engagement, and the Open Internet.” It was a shockingly one-sided affair with the deck being stacked almost entirely in favor…..

]]> By: The First Amendment & Net Neutrality: Be Careful What You Wish For — Technology Liberation Front http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64110 The First Amendment & Net Neutrality: Be Careful What You Wish For — Technology Liberation Front Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:37:33 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64110 <p>[...] I noted here a few days ago, the Federal Communications Commission held a workshop on Tuesday about “Speech, Democratic [...]</p> [...] I noted here a few days ago, the Federal Communications Commission held a workshop on Tuesday about “Speech, Democratic [...]

]]> By: More Conspiratorial Nonsense about the Comcast-NBC Deal — Technology Liberation Front http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64097 More Conspiratorial Nonsense about the Comcast-NBC Deal — Technology Liberation Front Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:09:56 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64097 <p>[...] the asinine horror stories that currently dominate public policy discussions about media policy (and net neutrality regulation, for that matter) have just gotten completely out of control. Sadly, we’ve been here [...]</p> [...] the asinine horror stories that currently dominate public policy discussions about media policy (and net neutrality regulation, for that matter) have just gotten completely out of control. Sadly, we’ve been here [...]

]]> By: mwendy http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64987 mwendy Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:59:54 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64987 <p>Business go out of business when they don't serve their public. Governments and their expression - regulations - rarely do. I'll take my chances with businesses.</p> Business go out of business when they don't serve their public. Governments and their expression – regulations – rarely do. I'll take my chances with businesses.

]]> By: mwendy http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64092 mwendy Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:59:54 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64092 <p>Business go out of business when they don't serve their public. Governments and their expression - regulations - rarely do. I'll take my chances with businesses.</p> Business go out of business when they don't serve their public. Governments and their expression – regulations – rarely do. I'll take my chances with businesses.

]]> By: Free Speech Round-Up « http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64091 Free Speech Round-Up « Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:21:57 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64091 <p>[...] Thierer of Tech Liberation Front has an interesting if snarky blog post on an FCC workshop on net neutrality.  Let’s just say [...]</p> [...] Thierer of Tech Liberation Front has an interesting if snarky blog post on an FCC workshop on net neutrality.  Let’s just say [...]

]]> By: MikeRT http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64088 MikeRT Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:45:38 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64088 <p>The FCC could stop most of this by simply requiring that every ISP detail the caveats to its "unlimited broadband" policy in language that a typical high school graduate could understand and provide it to every new customer.</p> The FCC could stop most of this by simply requiring that every ISP detail the caveats to its “unlimited broadband” policy in language that a typical high school graduate could understand and provide it to every new customer.

]]> By: akwhitacre http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64079 akwhitacre Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:44:55 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64079 <p>It's disappointing indeed that they offered no evidence. But your argument is, well, unarguable, because while it's easy to point out when a government is squelching speech, it's nearly impossible to identify when a market does so.<br><br>As an example, I can only think of the '96 Telecom Act, which among other things relaxed radio station ownership restrictions. A good free-market step. But radio, by my subjective measure, really, really stinks since then. Clear Channel and others with financial clout bought up huge numbers of stations, laid off DJ's and reporters, and replaced popular, modestly profitable, diverse local programming with very efficient, centralized, more profitable, but above all homogenous music and talk.<br><br>So it comes down to whether the First Amendment is read strictly ("Congress shall make no law..") or in a more generous way that takes into account the Founders' intent to guarantee energetic debate on political issues. Law is obviously biased towards the former, but I genuinely worry as much about the market's effect on speech as the FCC's.</p> It's disappointing indeed that they offered no evidence. But your argument is, well, unarguable, because while it's easy to point out when a government is squelching speech, it's nearly impossible to identify when a market does so.

As an example, I can only think of the '96 Telecom Act, which among other things relaxed radio station ownership restrictions. A good free-market step. But radio, by my subjective measure, really, really stinks since then. Clear Channel and others with financial clout bought up huge numbers of stations, laid off DJ's and reporters, and replaced popular, modestly profitable, diverse local programming with very efficient, centralized, more profitable, but above all homogenous music and talk.

So it comes down to whether the First Amendment is read strictly (“Congress shall make no law..”) or in a more generous way that takes into account the Founders' intent to guarantee energetic debate on political issues. Law is obviously biased towards the former, but I genuinely worry as much about the market's effect on speech as the FCC's.

]]> By: waynecrews http://techliberation.com/2009/12/15/fcc-enters-parallel-universe-on-first-amendment-net-neutrality-issues/comment-page-1/#comment-64076 waynecrews Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:32:43 +0000 http://techliberation.com/?p=24326#comment-64076 <p>Not a parallel universe, but a tangent one, the kind Donnie Darko would not bother to save this time around. This is more tiresome than i can even express. FCC, devoid of legitimacy in today's world, really has to be put on the hot seat somehow, instead of one communications industry sector after another coaxed into rent-seeking by FCC's very existence, submitting to policy childishness and immaturity perpetuated by those with--truly---nothing else to do but tear down what free enterprise has achieved and could achieve.</p> Not a parallel universe, but a tangent one, the kind Donnie Darko would not bother to save this time around. This is more tiresome than i can even express. FCC, devoid of legitimacy in today's world, really has to be put on the hot seat somehow, instead of one communications industry sector after another coaxed into rent-seeking by FCC's very existence, submitting to policy childishness and immaturity perpetuated by those with–truly—nothing else to do but tear down what free enterprise has achieved and could achieve.

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