Most of you probably missed this important ruling in light of the recent shooting and other on going presidential campaign events which have been taking up most recent headlines this week:
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Court-Fully-Upholds-FCCs-Net-Neutrality-Rules-137190Quote
Today's ruling is a victory for consumer and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, and it ensures the internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth," FCC boss Tom Wheeler said in a statement. "After a decade of debate and legal battles, today's ruling confirms the commission's ability to enforce the strongest possible internet protections -- both on fixed and mobile networks -- that will ensure the internet remains open, now and in the future.
Additional background information on the previous rulings and how this effects you the consumer(s) of many "Internet" services directly:
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/internet-freedom-internet-service-providers/How do you feel about this decision PaRD?
Personally I'm thrilled FCC is doing right by the citizens we-humble-serfs for a change! *or am I missing something here?* I'm really quite surprised by this!
*on looking further into this there does seem to be oppositional legislation proposed to this as well namely the Internet Freedom Act:
https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=2669and some explanation why some are opposed to Net Neutrality:
http://www.freedomworks.org/content/net-neutrality-ruling-blow-internet-freedomUnspoken by the talking heads at the heart of this issue seems to be NAFTA and the TPP.
If we build more advanced fiber networks just who will own that infrastructure? If it's our own people it would facilitate tremendously to national job creation opening the market to many new ISP "start-ups". However if not it would contribute tremendously to national job erosion relating to ISP businesses. Ownership if social should be state level rather than federal. Which imo is far more preferable to foreign-private ownership. This would create new job sectors in states with high unemployment rates which is desperately needed as well as give these same impoverished states a modernized network facilitating even more jobs at thier disposal nationally/internationally.
Which camp between these two factions of "Net Neutrality" vs "Internet Freedom Act" are placing the interest of "Free Speech" and a "Freedom Driven Open Internet" rather then a Censored Internet as paramount PaRD?
Given the next elected president will determine SCOTUS Justices this should be of great concern for many of us. What is decided here will carry great ramifications for generations to follow in how we all access information.
Just what shall we do with our modern Library of Alexandria? Shall we set it ablaze just as our ancestors of old, use it to grant us further mastery of our trades and crafts, or shall we surrender it to our enemies "whom seek to rule over us all" so they may use it for whatever foul purposes they may devise for us with our own creation?
Also how do you feel now in "2016" about the idea of "Internet Transparency" or Transparency in general for that matter?
At present the establishment has the capabilities to watch the every move of a Internet-Presence even if it were to use a VPN or anonymity software such as TOR.
Truth be told wide spread usages of these tracking/snooping technologies has mostly been done to ensure a steady supply of profits to lobbyists within the entertainment industry chiefly the RIAA and MPAA and the core development behind most of these tracking/snooping technologies has been by advertising and marketing agencies within those same industries. To a lesser extent they have been used to track activities attributed to terrorism once government took interest and contributed funding to further their development and wide spread usage and deployment. How much so lesser they are actually used in addition to the effectiveness for such purpose as counter-terrorism and its tracking/prevention should now be just that more obvious from the recent events in Orlando.
It has long been assumed this same establishment incites many of these acts of terrorism to facilitate the passage of additional legislation to encroach further upon citizens rights and liberties i.e. "false flags." Regardless if you believe in the conspiracy elements involved it is a fair certainty that the outcomes which coincide with these sort of events generate social conditions from with which "An attack on one truly is an attack on all." In some way or another these events find their mark and thereby erroad our societies from the greatness they once were.
With that said should we not in turn demand at bare minimum the same sort of transparency from our elected officials which has been directed at the citizen, thoughts PaRD?
Consider elected officials and other "State Actors" hold a great deal more accountability to the citizens then the citizens should-and-do to them. Such responsibilities came with these position(s) of "responsibility" and many of them have taken oaths which they now violate readily. We deserve to know who and what interest they're really working for. "be it lobbyists, special interest or worse". It surely is not thier electorate or the well being of our country which for whom they toil. Accountability please?
We need leadership which is humble yet strong. We need leaders who have a social conscience and love our county, its people, and our own way of doing things. Leadership who represent social contribution through "thier" own acts of charity to the citizens they represent and will fill the role of this throughout thier position(s) of office and place such above thier own ambitions. Rather then those whom merely use the former as means to achieve the latter.
Chuckup a minor victory for internet freedom this week. Though the ruling appears to be on going for now.
This certainty has been a entertaining election cycle so far if nothing else.
Additional links:
MPAA Lobbyists:
https://torrentfreak.com/mpaa-lobbyist-sopa-sponsor-to-draft-democratic-party-platform-160531/https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150724/15501631756/smoking-gun-mpaa-emails-reveal-plan-to-run-anti-google-smear-campaign-via-today-show-wsj.shtmlVPN Providers Mull ‘Fraudster’ Database In Wake of Lulzec Fiasco (Insight into how gov can ruin ISPs' consumer confidence and drive them out of buisness just like they do with VPNs leaving us all with a PBS like gov. run internet service "made possible by viewers like you™):
https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-providers-mull-fraudster-database-in-wake-of-lulzec-fiasco-111006/Meet Jack:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/15/hidemyass-startup-secrets-safe-with-jack-catorMeet Jack's customers:
https://invisibler.com/lulzsec-and-hidemyass/Would you use Jacks VPN service now knowing this about Jack?
No? Here's some alternatives:
https://torrentfreak.com/vpn-services-that-take-your-anonymity-seriously-2013-edition/Pick up a new ISP while you're at it if you're in a unique position where you can be choosy:
http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/8/think-your-internet-provider-might-be-spying-on-you-just-check-our-listPerma-cookies (Anonymity Breaking network-side trackers):
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/two-ways-your-isp-is-spying-on-you-and-how-to-be-safe/ITC - International Trade Commission's de facto SOPA ability:
http://www.infoworld.com/article/2974054/patents/sopa-again-force-isps-to-block-websites.htmlInternet service provider may soon begin monitoring your account & Subscribers will be losing expectation of privacy from their own service providers:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/opinion/rushkoff-online-monitoring/Copyright Alert System - targets to prosecute individuals rather than websites:
https://publicintelligence.net/center-for-copyright-information-isp-copyright-alert-system-memorandum-of-understanding/"Judges will often base their verdicts merely on descriptions of entertainment industry groups such as the RIAA and the MPAA.":
https://torrentfreak.com/rapidshare-fights-for-the-cloud-in-washington-111006/https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protect_IP_Act