I Watch 'Em So You Don't Have To

WAIT A DAMNED MINUTE - DO YOU MEAN TO TELL US THAT THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WANTS TO PUT US ALL BACK INTO THE DIAL-UP MODEM AGE? THOSE BASTARDS!

Life In The Fast Lane

If you've seen the little wheel appear on your favorite website (or one you constantly use for work, wink wink), your provider may be part of what's becoming quite a massive confrontation between the FCC and whatever regular place you get all your kitty pictures, movies, and videos of kids doing faceplants with their skateboards.

Today while not doing anything productive (won't go into details, now THAT would be slow), I was on Netflix watching 'junk movies' which I do like others eat junk food - just something to be on while I'm working on something else. And today I see this:

It's bigger than the column I know and I'm sorry, but notice the little bar in the lower right hand corner? It's a notice that many popular websites put up 9/10/14 in protest to rally support for blocking Internet "fast lanes."

Now honestly I didn't know what that meant - but seeing as how I JUST got my internet up to a respectable speed this year, I certainly don't want to lose it. Here's the basics:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering rules that would determine how Internet service providers (ISPs) such as Comcast and Verizon manage Web traffic on their networks.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has proposed rules that would allow ISPs to charge content companies to ensure their websites or applications load smoothly and quickly, as long as such deals are deemed "commercially reasonable."

And it's not comforting that this comes from the Hulu site...

This, says major web contenders, would eliminate 'net neutrality' and would basically make the internet a 'pay to play' type of system - the faster you want to go, the more moola you dole out.

I was thinking about this, considering the amount of money that we pay for this internet service, plus the 'extra' sites you also have to shell out for such as Netflix and other services. The hubby already complains that we pay (undisclosed dollar amount) for satellite TV that we rarely watch (he has a point - we've got a full DVR and still aren't watching much).

So if we also have to pay out more just to keep the internet working as well as it does (pffft - try being in a rural area and getting THAT on a regular basis), I'll bet of people will be watching more TV. Or people will unplug their TV and will just watch their computers. Whatever they choose, one, the other, or both, you know it's going to cost a hell of a lot more money.

The FCC has been adamant that it remains committed to Net neutrality and is trying to create rules that can withstand legal scrutiny. But Netflix, in a letter to lawmakers posted on its website Wednesday, contended that “the FCC’s proposed rules would be a significant departure from how the Internet currently works, limiting the economic and expressive opportunity it provides.”

The FCC is collecting public comment on the proposed rules until Sept. 15 and will hold several public workshops on various aspects of the regulations in the following weeks.

Hey, just having cable is pretty pricey. Having satellite TV is even more money going out (even if you so-call "bundle" your services). But if the price of being online becomes an issue, this may mean much slower internet speeds, or just dealing with higher satellite TV prices to get the same services you always had.

I... don't like that. If you're worried that the price of writing blogs, watching movies, and playing games (oh yeah, and working too, wink wink) will become too steep, make yourself heard at:

http://www.fcc.gov/comments

Will they pay attention? Have they ever?