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Ajit Pai Says Killing Net Neutrality Will Be Really Wonderful

As already noted, today's the day that the FCC's 2015 net neutrality rules are officially eliminated. The rules, which have the overwhelming bipartisan support of the vast majority of Americans, prevented major ISPs like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from further abusing a lack of competition in the broadband. At least until those companies threw oodles of cash at the Ajit Pai FCC in exchange for eliminating them. It's not hyperbole to say that the repeal of these rules may just be the least popular tech policy decision in government history.

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Of course as he's done all along, FCC boss Ajit Pai is trying to paint a decidedly different picture of what the repeal actually does.

In an editorial over at CNET, Pai offers up the equivalent of a "greatest hits" of all of his misleading statements so far, including claims that killing the popular consumer protections will somehow result in more transparency, faster broadband speeds, better broadband deployment, and lower prices.

"I support a free and open internet," claims the FCC boss that just demolished rules protecting a free and open internet.

"The internet should be an open platform where you are free to go where you want, and say and do what you want, without having to ask anyone's permission," Pai said. "And under the Federal Communications Commission's Restoring Internet Freedom Order, which takes effect Monday, the internet will be just such an open platform. Our framework will protect consumers and promote better, faster internet access and more competition."

Of course none of that is actually true. Under Pai's model, the FCC has been gutted of most of its authority over broadband providers, ceding any remaining authority to an FTC legal experts repeatedly say lacks the ability to actually take any meaningful action. The FTC can't take action unless something can clearly be proven to be "unfair or deceptive," something that's tricky to do in the net neutrality realm where anti-competitive behavior is often disguised as routine network management.

Meanwhile, as an added "bonus," Verizon and Comcast successfully lobbied the FCC to include language in the repal banning states from trying to protect consumers in the wake of the reduced FCC oversight. Charter is already trying to use this move to wiggle out of lawsuits over slow speeds and substandard network performance, clearly contradicting Pai's claims.

Nobody's Buying What You're Selling

The goal for AT&T, Verizon and Comcast is little to no oversight for some of the least-competitive companies in America. And consumer groups note that should the FCC repeal survive the looming lawsuits, the end result won't be pretty for American consumers.

"The gutting of net neutrality is a symbol of our broken democracy," said consumer group Fight for the Future. "It’s the worst of the worst that the DC swamp has to offer. But it has sparked an unprecedented backlash from across the political spectrum, and Internet users are coming out of the woodwork to fight tooth and nail in Congress, in the courts, and at the local and state level."

"Internet service providers now have the power to block websites, throttle services, and censor online content," added Pai's fellow Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel in her own statement.

"They will have the right to discriminate and favor the Internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road," Rosenworcel added. "Plain and simple, thanks to the FCC's rollback of net neutrality, Internet providers have the legal green light, the technical ability, and business incentive to discriminate and manipulate what we see, read, and learn online."

As we noted this morning, ISPs will likely remain on their best behavior for the foreseeable future, or at least until they're certain they've beaten back looming court challenges, which should begin in a month or so. Should they win in court, all bets are off in terms of how "creatively" ISPs will abuse a lack of competition in what's pretty clearly a broken telecom market.

Most recommended from 51 comments



C0deZer0
Oc'D To Rhythm And Police
Premium Member
join:2001-10-03
Tempe, AZ

28 recommendations

C0deZer0

Premium Member

The collective community would like Ajit Pai to...

... Shut his stupid looking face already.

At present i would not be surprised if this dude manages to incite a bar brawl or something if he ever were the social drinker.

Economist
The economy, stupid
Premium Member
join:2015-07-10
united state

13 recommendations

Economist

Premium Member

Pai should to the world a favor

And just set himself on fire already. Then he will be the right temp when he arrives in hell.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

7 recommendations

maartena

Premium Member

Meanwhile in California.....

The California Net Neutrality passed the Senate last month. It will now go to the Assembly, whose 80 members consist of 53 democrats, 2 independents and 25 Republicans..... it will then go to Governor Brown who has indicated he will sign it.

So, ISP's in the most populous state in the nation will soon face a Net Neutrality law that is more strict than Obama's federal Net Neutrality law. Not only will it be difficult for ISP's to operate within the bounds of this law in California, but operate outside of it in other states.... there are about 20 other states also in various stages of implementing their own Net Neutrality laws.

ISP's operating in multiple states will very likely have no choice than to adhere to the strictest law that they have to adhere to. And this will ESPECIALLY be true in the mobile market.... as phones travel everywhere, and phone owners can pick any phone number in the US as long as there are available numbers in area codes.

Of course, the states not doing anything about Net Neutrality are Texas and most of the Southern states..... In short, the "Confederacy" will have no Net Neutrality. Good Luck. With that.

Rogue Wolf
An Easy Draw of a Sad Few
join:2003-08-12
Troy, NY

7 recommendations

Rogue Wolf

Member

Of COURSE it's "wonderful"...

...for Ajit Pai; he'll be laughing all the way to the bank. He's done exactly what his corporate overseers had him installed for.
Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO

6 recommendations

Skippy25

Member

The sad part..

is that Pai can stand there and lie to everyone of us, as can the politicians and CEO's, yet when it comes to stockholders they are legally obligated to tell the truth.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

6 recommendations

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Hack his home computer and smartphone

Hack Pai's home internet and throw up paywalls and walled gardens. Or the "Not Authorized" screen you get when you tune your TV to a cable channel not included in your bundle. Even better slow his internet down to 28k unless he watches a 5 minute video ad then it goes back up to the provisioned speed then its randomly throttled down to 28k until you buy more megabytes.

I was taught the golden rule in school "Do to others as you would want done to you".

Harddrive
Proud American and Infidel since 1968.
Premium Member
join:2000-09-20
Fort Worth, TX

5 recommendations

Harddrive

Premium Member

He is...

a piece of shit.

xNPC
As Usual, Have Nice Day
Premium Member
join:2000-11-08
Errington, BC

5 recommendations

xNPC

Premium Member

once a verizon shill

always a verizon shill and lowell mcwireless' sycophant.

buddahbless
join:2005-03-21
Premium

5 recommendations

buddahbless

Member

Collectively the majority of Americans....

Would like for Ajit Pai to take a really long walk off a very short pier...

Realistically what more could we have expected. Heck Ringling Brothers Circus had there final curtain call in 2017 after 146 years, WHY? Simply because they could not compete with the circus currently residing in the White House.
DigitalManny
join:2014-01-08
Glendale, CA

5 recommendations

DigitalManny

Member

Same can be said for him

But I don't stoop to his level looking jackass.

Ut98Ex
join:2012-07-11
Georgetown, TX

5 recommendations

Ut98Ex

Member

He is just following the lead

He is just imitating the president. Say exactly the opposite of what is true and watch the minions and Fox news repeat it over and over and over until people think its true. He is spreading propaganda, nothing more nothing less.

Economist
The economy, stupid
Premium Member
join:2015-07-10
united state

5 recommendations

Economist

Premium Member

Hey Pai, if it is not wonderful...

...can't we kick you square in the nut sack 1,000,000 times?

Anonbd3a6
@charter.com

4 recommendations

Anonbd3a6

Anon

Ajit Pai Says Killing Net Neutrality Will Be Really Wonderful

If Ajit Pai Says, Killing Net Neutrality Will Be Really Wonderful then I think they need to test him for drugs. He has to be on drugs to say something like that.

SimbaSeven
I Void Warranties
join:2003-03-24
Billings, MT

4 recommendations

SimbaSeven

Member

Punch

Punching you in the face would be "really wonderful". Multiple times would be "awesomely wonderful".

TIGERON
join:2008-03-11
Boston, MA

4 recommendations

TIGERON

Member

Lying sack of shit

I'd like to punch him in the face.

tshirt
Premium Member
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA

4 recommendations

tshirt

Premium Member

just scream "fake news" so you...

...can blend in with the rest of the lunatics in charge.