California signs toughest Net Neutrality bill into law, US DOJ to sue to block it

[coasterghost]

So, earlier today. Governor California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the nation’s toughest net neutrality measure that requires internet providers to maintain a level playing field online. I am not shocked to see that the Department of Justice is now going to sue the state for enacting the law. The Party that is for states rights is claiming that only the Federal Government "has the exclusive power to regulate net neutrality." I am not shocked, that this is going to happen, and it's kinda actually poetic. I for one do think that the state will win the case since their voters wanted it to begin with, whereas others didn't want the repeal. Honestly, I do hope other states follow in California's path and it's quite interesting to see that a party that for years has run on the idea of 'States rights' are suing a state for something that they do have power over. 

 

Quote

California on Sunday became the largest state to adopt its own rules requiring Internet providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon to treat all web traffic equally. Golden State legislators took the step of writing their law after the Federal Communications Commission scrapped nationwide protections last year, citing the regulatory burdens they had caused for the telecom industry.

 

Mere hours after California’s proposal became law, however, senior Justice Department officials told The Washington Post they would take the state to court on grounds that the federal government, not state leaders, has the exclusive power to regulate net neutrality. DOJ officials stressed the FCC had been granted such authority from Congress to ensure that all 50 states don’t seek to write their own, potentially conflicting, rules governing the web. The U.S. government anticipates filing its lawsuit Monday morning.

...

“Not only is California’s Internet regulation law illegal, it also hurts consumers," Pai said in a statement. “The law prohibits many free-data plans, which allow consumers to stream video, music, and the like exempt from any data limits. They have proven enormously popular in the marketplace, especially among lower-income Americans. But notwithstanding the consumer benefits, this state law bans them.”

1

 

Sorry Pai, I don't believe you. 

 

Sources: 

 

AP: https://apnews.com/5f91111e4a2b4c72852da2ef2b3cc76f/The-Latest:-California-governor-signs-net-neutrality-bill?utm_medium=AP&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true&__twitter_impression=true

 

WashPo on the lawsuit: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/10/01/trump-administration-is-suing-california-quash-its-new-net-neutrality-law/?utm_term=.7b0f6d518761

 

Mods, please do your best, and I'm sorry in advance. Posters please be respectful and such. 

[Crunchy Dragon]

Please update your post to comply with Tech News posting guidelines:

 

[GDRRiley]

CA for the win.

[Okjoek]

Go California!

[DrMacintosh]

THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA

[Drak3]

1 minute ago, gabrielcarvfer said:

Did the internet become worse when the net neutrality was lifted?

Not in the slightest. Also didn't get better when it was enacted.

 

2 minutes ago, gabrielcarvfer said:

If not, why bother? 

Political ammunition. More mud to throw at the opposing party.

[EPENEX]

Net Neutrality laws haven't done anything.

[Stefan Payne]

36 minutes ago, coasterghost said:

So, earlier today. Governor California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the nation’s toughest net neutrality measure that requires internet providers to maintain a level playing field online. 

On the one hand its a good thing for the consumer, on the other hand we are mostly in this mess because of Gouvernment regulations....

I really do not know How I see that or I should find it...

 

IMO we should start with making the entry to the telecom market easier and diversify more.

Ie make Companys that are very local, for example a city and another company does the intercity connections.

 

A thing that our all favorite Mac Repair Guy complains about is the Connection that's across the street (fiber) and he has inferior with higher prices...

 

We should think about that first, getting 100MBit or more to every house in the Country...

[sanfilippo12]

Dang I hate California.  Still do.

[DutchTexan]

1 minute ago, EPENEX said:

Net Neutrality laws haven't done anything.

'Net Neutrality' in a political context is not actually beneficial to anyone outside a corporate environment. You may disagree, but I'm just here to represent those who are against net neutrality laws. Not everyone equates 'net neutrality' to a good thing. Regulating the internet, in any capacity, is a bad idea regardless of intention.

 

Now, I don't mind that California is being California. Let them criminalize plastic straws and treat internet like a monopolized utility. Not my shithole to live in. 

[TechGod]

18 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

Not in the slightest. Also didn't get better when it was enacted.

 

Political ammunition. More mud to throw at the opposing party.

I’m gonna wait for an amazing reply to this that shits over this this stupid post. 

 

[DutchTexan]

5 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

. . .in this mess because of Government regulations....

 

IMO we should start with making the entry to the telecom market easier and diversify more.

Precisely the point. Regulations require providers to meet and compete with impossible demands. There is a reason over 80% of Americans pay 1 of 2 companies for internet access.

[PlayStation 2]

Ah, 45 minutes in and we're already hurling insults to those who didn't support the Net Neutrality laws.

The tolerance of ideas 

[GDRRiley]

16 minutes ago, sanfilippo12 said:

Dang I hate California.  Still do.

why we are a great state? What did we to do you?

[handymanshandle]

Hey mods when are you guys going to stop allowing net neutrality threads? Whenever you try to say your case against it, people quickly retort to politics and it gets nasty fast.

 

I for one am getting real tired of having to show restraint in making rebuttals to comments about certain topics like Net Neutrality.

[Imbellis]

I think that this passing will help show the differences - if any - between systems set up with and without net neutrality and it may help the community to understand what it could help with.

 

Regardless, although this thread is destined for controversiality, I think it's a good thing to have here.

[Drak3]

6 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

we're already hurling insults to those who didn't support the Net Neutrality laws.

He's doing me a solid and supporting my point.

 

7 minutes ago, Dan Castellaneta said:

45 minutes

That's about 44 minutes and 59 seconds longer than I thought it would take.

 

1 minute ago, GDRRiley said:

we are a great state

No, California really isn't.

[PlayStation 2]

Just now, Drak3 said:

That's about 44 minutes and 59 seconds longer than I thought it would take.

yeah same

how the hell this topic brings out the absolute worst from people is beyond me

[handymanshandle]

1 minute ago, GDRRiley said:

why we are a great state? What did we to do you?

I personally wouldn't want to live in California.

Frankly if I had to choose between Minnesota or California, while I'm not a fan of Minnesota either. At least it isn't California... Yet.

[ARikozuM]

I think this is a good move. We need consumer protections especially as the bigger players only get bigger. 

Spoiler

https://www.businessinsider.com/att-time-warner-acquisition-what-it-will-own-2018-6

 

 

tl;dr: Basically everything will be owned by AT&T. They will charge premiums to other providers which will only serve to inflate prices until someone decides a lawsuit should be brought forward for AT&T price-fixing and creating a non-competition industry. 

 

I'd like to see every state push forward with this BEFORE California loses or receives a non-unaminous decision to continue as it will convey a much stronger message to leaders of the industry and serves as legal precedence that the people of the USA are in favor of NN. 

[Stefan Payne]

16 minutes ago, DutchTexan said:

There is a reason over 80% of Americans pay 1 of 2 companies for internet access.

And that is the real problem that should be worked towards solving. A couple more ISPs would be a good idea...

[ARikozuM]

14 minutes ago, pinksnowbirdie said:

Hey mods when are you guys going to stop allowing net neutrality threads? Whenever you try to say your case against it, people quickly retort to politics and it gets nasty fast.

I would rather ask the forum members to stop deviating from the proposed topic and only to speak of the pertinent details of said topic. 

[Nowak]

Imagine being against consumer protections like net neutrality.

[CyanideInsanity]

53 minutes ago, gabrielcarvfer said:

Did the internet become worse when the net neutrality was lifted? If not, why bother? 

Why would it? Why would ISPs advance on that when 'the whole world is watching'? It'd be one hell of a told ya so moment. The rule got repealed and there's been talk about reenacting them by other ways since the announcement of the repeal.

[handymanshandle]

1 minute ago, ARikozuM said:

I would rather ask the forum members to stop deviating from the proposed topic and only to speak of the pertinent details of said topic. 

lol that's a tall order for some of the forum members on here. instringly, this topic is bound to quickly become toxic if you do not want to participate in the echo chamber. Even if you just come along and say why you think something is a bad idea or in your opinion not something you wanted to see happen, you'll have people who don't want to just accept that's your opinion and let you carry on. They're going to want you to try and debate them even if their mind is already made up and they're refusing to see what you're saying.