
Jon Stewart on Net Neutrality - sh1mmer
http://www.hulu.com/watch/104814/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-from-here-to-neutrality#x-4,vclip,1,0
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tsally
I saw this and was very happy that he was exposing the issue of net neutrality
to a large audience. However, I felt at times the explanation got a little too
complicated. I could see how a non tech person might just stop caring about
the conversation when it gets muddled.

It's not a nuanced political issue. Simple analogies (like the one Stewart
uses, the carpool lane for rich assholes) are the way to go. Or just show your
non tech friends this image:
[http://cupojoe.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/images-
netneutral...](http://cupojoe.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/images-
netneutralpricing.jpg)

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lionhearted
> Simple analogies (like the one Stewart uses, the carpool lane for rich
> assholes) are the way to go.

I wouldn't mind a non-neutral connection that's faster or cheaper for www
than, say, torrents. I reckon it'd be market suicide for an ISP to cut off
access to the web without paying more, so some mix of
faster/better/cheap/preferential for the most popular sites or lower bandwith
content would be okay with me.

Net neutrality sounds decent enough, but the government tends to pass laws
while they're hot button issues that become arcane bureaucracy later. That
bureaucracy is rarely revisited and scrubbed off the books after it doesn't
make sense any more. Who knows what new technologies are going to come online
in the next 10-20 years? Internet regulations stand to be antiquated really
fast, to potentially negative consequences later.

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blahedo
Except that net neutrality _is how it is now_. Nobody's talking about imposing
new rules or bureaucracy.

~~~
lionhearted
> Except that net neutrality is how it is now.

I understand that - but I imagine the internet will continue to change
dramatically over the next 3, 5, 10, 20 years.

> Nobody's talking about imposing new rules or bureaucracy.

It runs the risk of handcuffing the future, especially if there's new and
different protocols used to access the internet in different ways in the
future. We have a lot of silly and antiquated laws on the books in the USA.
Net neutrality sounds like a good thing, but it runs the risk of everyone
saying, "Idiot 2009 people passing stupid laws so that XYZ Cool New Technology
is illegal... what were they thinking...?"

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wvenable
We're sorry, currently our video library can only be streamed within the
United States.

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nanexcool
If you are outside the USA:

[http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-
october-26-2009/from-h...](http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-
october-26-2009/from-here-to-neutrality)

~~~
wvenable
Link doesn't work in Canada -- includes link to the Comedy Network but not to
the specific video. While we're working on Net Neutrality, how about working
on this too!

~~~
nfnaaron
"The irony ... the irony."

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JCThoughtscream
Ah, Stewart. I'm always happy when he tackles an issue - and much unlike
regular TV news, I usually end up learning something too. Kudos to both him
and his writing staff.

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auston
idgi? Why fix something that is currently working well?

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tfh
Speaking of net neutrality, the posted video is only available for those who
are in the US. Priceless irony.

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haseman
Who wouldn't want the FCC to regulate the internet? They do so well with FM
Radio and Television!

