
I'm fundraising for another billboard, this time for FCC. Save Net Neutrality - kn0thing
https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/save-net-neutrality-billboard-in-fccs-backyard
======
vonklaus
While I think this is a great cause I think it is analogous to things like
security by trust v. security by design and the teach a man to fish principle.
Let me explain.

It is pretty obvious that eventually companies like planetLabs are going to
drive down the cost of Satellites to the point where they are deployed at such
capacity that internet is ubiquitous. The "too cheap to meter" of Eisenhower
IS coming to internet, however, in the interim we will have a battle.

I think the smartest way to outflank the ISPs is to focus on paying hardware
hackers and developers to create a hardware solution so that we can create
city wide subnets. Then these can either buy bandwith from Cogent-esqu
companies or ISPs. This will greatly increase our collective bargaining power.

I see this functioning like roman city states or like the judicial,
legislative and executive branches of government. Distributing power across a
broad enough playingfeild to allow things to get done (not really true in
American Gov't anymore) while limiting any individuals power.

IDK just a concept I have been working on.

~~~
HistoryInAction
Spot on.

As far as a quick layman's glance has shown, the problem is specific to the
'last mile' bit of data connection, which is run by Comcast, Verizon, etc...

The backbone pipelines are run by companies like Level3 and Cogent, which are
not of concern for this debate.

'Last mile' wires tend to be one company per city, so we're stuck trying to
prevent relatively small-scale monopolies from extracting rents via
regulation. The better solution is competition.

Enter Google Fiber, spurring competition:
[http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/21/4973046/att-may-
bring-g...](http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/21/4973046/att-may-bring-google-
fiber-like.html)

I've heard a little chatter about the subnet idea, but it'd be tricky to do
'underground' with regards to city regulation and trickier to get approval
for.

~~~
vonklaus
Basically it would be analgous to everyone opening their router and daisy
chaining them all together. That would be "last mile". It would be like
connect to Linksys.LosAngeles and then backbones connect you up to San Fran.
That way either content providers could locate in cities and push locally, or
ISPs would have to come to the table.

~~~
HistoryInAction
Cool, any recommendations for further reading? I seem to recall Nick Merrill
of Calyx being interested in this sort of thing for SF.

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esbranson
Comment on the proposed regulations:

[http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=14-28](http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?name=14-28)

~~~
HistoryInAction
Is this the correct one? I've been pointing people to the FCC page:
[http://www.fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-
inter...](http://www.fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-internet-
comments)

~~~
esbranson
They might be posting comments received by <openinternet@fcc.gov> on ECFS. The
posted comments look like emails. This website allows you to _read_ comments,
not just post them.

The Electronic Comment Filing System, or ECFS, "serves as the repository for
official records in the FCC's docketed proceedings and rulemakings". The ECFS
docket for this (14-28, "Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet") has
about 500 filings in the last 30 days, and about 15,000 since the FCC
announced it on February 19th:

[https://www.fcc.gov/document/new-docket-established-
address-...](https://www.fcc.gov/document/new-docket-established-address-open-
internet-remand)

------
puppetmaster3
Why not collect for a donation to key congress figures instead.

~~~
HistoryInAction
Because this isn't a legislative issue, but rather a regulatory one.
Bureaucrats aren't the most responsive to public pressure, in contrast with
elected officials.

That said, right now, we're in an awareness building phase, so I can support
this crowdtilt (rhetorically, I am a starving founder after all!). Think pre-
American Censorship Day on SOPA, not the run-up to the blackout.

But I recommend everyone write strong, well-reasoned comments here:
[http://www.fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-
inter...](http://www.fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-internet-
comments)

I'm (PolitiHacks) coordinating with Engine and Free Press to serve as a focal
point for converting founder anger here into effective political metrics.
Would there be interest in calling in or G+ Hangout for 15-30 minutes early
next week with one of the activists to lay out the political strategy for the
leading up to May 15?

~~~
bratsche
It can absolutely be solved with legislation though. FCC has authority to re-
classify the internet as Title II, but they get that authority because
Congress has delegated it to them.

Congress is elected by you and me, and in sufficient numbers we can affect
what they do. The FCC is not elected by us, and they really have no
responsibility to us. I think they are already aware that this would be bad
for consumers, but they clearly don't care unless some other power pressures
them otherwise.

~~~
HistoryInAction
You're completely right. Reclassification can be done through the legislative
process (see: Markey bill,
[http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/02/03/senator-
ed...](http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2014/02/03/senator-edward-
markey-introduces-net-neutrality-bill-prevent-internet-service-providers-from-
granting-priority-access-big-firms/aYQIHbEkC04tRmqc8EIQ4M/story.html)). That's
a positive fix.

That said, at this point the first step is to prevent the negative regulation
from coming into effect. One way to do that is to ask your Representatives and
Senators to submit a letter of opposition to the FCC.

That's what we did here with Crowdfunding:
[http://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-06-13/s70613-370.pdf](http://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-06-13/s70613-370.pdf)

------
lvs
Will you setup and publish BTC/DOGE donation addresses?

~~~
kn0thing
Yes! The awesome DogecoinFoundation Shibes hooked this up!

[http://www.reddit.com/r/dogecoin/comments/24cqlo/lets_fund_a...](http://www.reddit.com/r/dogecoin/comments/24cqlo/lets_fund_alexis_ohanians_billboard_to_support/)

If you'd like to donate using Dogecoin, you can do so here:
D5gFxHPMRz4W6xYs8moWhgPMPoUycCABBa (over 10,020 DOGE raised so far!)

