3 judges hold the fate of the #Internet in their hands @WAPO

The Senate unanimously confirmed Sri Srinivasan as a circuit judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in May 2013. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Next week, a federal appeals court in Washington will hear one of its biggest cases of the year, one whose outcome will directly affect how Internet providers can alter your experience online.

At stake are the government's net neutrality rules banning telecom and cable companies from unfairly discriminating against new or potential rivals. Using their power in the marketplace to control what services consumers can access from their smartphones, tablets and PCs, Internet providers could be granted more latitude to favor preferred Web sites — if the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit says so.

Three judges from the D.C. Circuit have been named to hear the oral argument on Dec. 4. Much like the Supreme Court, the very makeup of this panel could subtly shape the course of events. What do we know about the judges? Are they familiar with the issues? How might they vote? Below, get briefly acquainted with each one ahead of the big day.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/11/24/these-3-judges-hold-the-fate-of-the-internet-in-their-hands/

FEC says regulating Internet, Google, Facebook under its 'purview' !

It's back: 

By PAUL BEDARD • 7/30/15 2:53 PM

After backing down amid concerns she wanted to regulate political speech, and even new sites like the Drudge Report, the chairwoman of the Federal Election Commission has renewed talk about targeting campaign and political activities on the internet.

Ann M. Ravel, discussing election regulation during a speech in New York, suggested it was time to produce "thoughtful policy" targeting internet political activity. She also expressed frustration that her last bid was met with "threatening misogynist responses to me."

She was speaking at a day-long conference hosted by the Brennan Center for Justice, the New York City Campaign Finance Board, and the Committee for Economic Development when she was asked about regulating the internet, Google and Facebook.

FEC Chairwoman Ann M. Ravel speaking on election reform in New York.

Ravel said that it would be under the "purview" of the FEC to oversee internet political activities such as fundraising and donations.

http://goo.gl/W1iKzU

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Why #Internet #Freedom Is at Stake ! @CBN

By Brett Schaefer | June 4, 2015 | 11:36 AM EDT

The closed doors of the United Nations' ITU conference has aroused fears of government attempts to restrict web freedom. (AP Photo)

Over the past 25 years, the Internet has gone from a relatively unknown arena populated primarily by academics, government employees, researchers and other technical experts into a nearly ubiquitous presence that contributes fundamentally and massively to communication, innovation and commerce.

It is unsurprising that, as the Internet has expanded in importance, calls for increased governance have also multiplied.

Some governance of the Internet, such as measures to make sure that Internet addresses are unique, and that changes to the root servers are conducted in a reliable and non-disruptive manner, is necessary merely to ensure that it operates smoothly. That’s why it has been in place for decades.

A great factor in the growth and success of the Internet, from which nearly everyone has benefited directly or indirectly, is that governance has been light and relatively non-intrusive.

Some want this to change, particularly governments eager to enhance their control over the Internet content and commerce. They seek to assert international regulation and governance over the Internet far exceeding what is currently the case.

http://goo.gl/KRzF16

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#NETNEUTRALITY Means the END of the #INTERNET and TV as you know it !!!

#Obama Delcares he is ABOVE the #LAW !!!

Welcome to the Department of the #INTERNET - Federal VIDEO - #NetNeutrailty

#NETNEUTRALITY - Welcome to the Department of the #INTERNET ! @Breitbart

by PAM KEY26 Feb 201581

Thursday at the Federal Communications Commission meeting on open Internet rules and access to broadband Internet, Commissioner Ajit Pai made a statement before the FCC vote to take unprecedented control over the internet with a secret plan.

Transcript as follows:

“The Wall Street Journal reports that it was developed through ‘an unusual secretive effort inside the White House.’  Indeed, White House officials, according to the Journal, functioned as a parallel version of the FCC. Their work led to the president’s announcement in November of his plan for internet regulation, a plan which the report says blindsided the FCC and swept aside months of work by Chairman Wheeler toward a compromise. Now, of course, a few insiders were clued in about what was transpiring. Here’s what a leader for the government-funded group Fight for the Future had to say, ‘We’ve been hearing for weeks from our allies in D.C that the only thing that could stop FCC chairman Tom Wheeler from moving ahead with his sham proposal to gut net neutrality was if we could get the president to step in. So we did everything in our power to make that happen. We took the gloves off and played hard, and now we get to celebrate a sweet victory. Congratulations. what the press has called the parallel FCC at the White House opened its door to a plethora of special interest activists. Daily Kos, Demand Progress, Fight for the Future, Free Press, and Public Knowledge, just to name a few. Indeed, even before activists were blocking the chairman’s driveway late last year, some of them had met with executive branch officials.

“But what about the rest of the American people? They certainly couldn’t get White House meetings. They were shut out of the process altogether. They were being played for fools. And the situation didn’t improve once the White House announced President Obama’s plan, and ‘asked’ the FCC to implement it. The document in front of us today differs dramatically from the proposal that the FCC put out for comment last May, and it differs so dramatically that even zealous net neutrality advocates frantically rushed in, in recent days, to make last-minute filings, registering their concerns that the FCC might be going too far. Yet, the American people, to this day, have not been allowed to see President Obama’s plan. It has remained hidden.

#NetNeutrality Passes - how long until the "FAIRNESS DOCTRINE" ?

Now that the #OBAMA tyranny has shoved Government Regulation down our throats, how long before the rest of it transpires?

How many WEB SITES will need to BE LICENSED  - and who determines that?

Will #BLOGS be subject to the same regs as large Web Sites?

Will #CAIR and the #MSA start to throw their nauseating claims of "Islamophobia" around to silence #TERROR stories?

Will the Southern Poverty Law Center, "Rev" Al Sharpie, #Jackson, and now the new #ATTORNEY #GENERAL bring their sickening charges of "RACISM" to bear?

HOW LONG BEFORE FOXNEWS, DRUDGE, BREITBART, SAVAGE, TEAPARTY and real conservative content is subject to some VAUGE NEW CABAL?

I've been on line for 32 years and the GOVERNMENT has done NOTHING to aid the Development of the NET or users -

BUT NOW THEY WILL CONTROL IT 

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out— 
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller

#NoNetNeutrality ! #OBAMA move puts #INTERNET in JEOPARDY !!! @BreitbartNews

by PAM KEY24 Feb 2015134

Tuesday at the Senate Republicans leadership press conference, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) warned February 26 could go down in history as the day the FCC took “carte blanche authority,” and imposed massive government regulations over the internet with a partisan vote on a 332-page secret plan.

Thune said he is wiling to work with the president and the FCC on a solution, “that  doesn’t cede to the FCC unlimited authority for them to do whatever they want and to put at great risk and in jeopardy something that has been an incredible success story for this country and for the world, and that’s the internet.”

#Obama regs will make #Internet slow as in Europe, warn FCC, FEC commissioners

Stop #OBAMA #INTERNET Power GRAB !!!!

#YCOT 👫👬👭👫 📢Spread the WORD‼️ #NoNetNeutrality 🚫 @YoungBLKRepub @asredasmyhair @lambandrewlamb1 @TheMorningSpew pic.twitter.com/RofwtNyAdj

— CONSERVATIVE❤ (@ChristiChat) February 19, 2015

#BREAKING #OBAMA To OUTLAW STREAMING MUSIC TO YOUR PHONE !!! @BreitbartNews

by PAM KEY19 Feb 201538

On One America News Network’s “The Daily Ledger,” FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai detailed some of the regulations he has found going though the secret 332-page proposed FCC plan designed by President Barack Obama to regulate the Internet.

When asked what he felt was the worst aspect of the secret FCC plan Pai said, “Most perniciously, when  you think about it, the FCC for the first time is going to start second guessing even what kind of service plan you have. And it explicitly mentions for example ‘T-Mobile Music Freedom,’ which allows you to steam music to your mobile device without counting against your data cap. The FCC explicitly tees that up as a practice it might end up outlawing.”

Why Can't Public See #Obama Proposed #Internet Regulations?

3:21 PM, FEB 18, 2015 • BY MARK HEMINGWAY

Republican senators Mike Lee, Ben Sasse, and Rand Paul have all been high profile opponents of the Obama administrations current plan to regulate the internet -- in particular, Lee has called the regulation a government "takeover" of the internet and says it amounts to a "a massive tax increase on the middle class, being passed in the dead of night without the American public really being made aware of what is going on.”

And when Lee says that the American public isn't aware of what's going on, that is in no way hyperbole. FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has emerged as a hero for those opposed to the regulation because Pai has been taking to the airwaves decrying the fact that the public is not allowed to see 332 pages of proposed internet regulation before they are potentially passed. Pai's crusade to make the proposed regulations public is the theme of the the latest ad from Protect Internet Freedom:

Protect #INTERNET #FREEDOM !!!

Dear Conservative, Big government can’t seem to keep its hands off of anything. The latest insult: President Obama and the Federal Communications Commission are going to take over the Internet on February 26th if we don’t do everything we can do to stop them right now. A plan deceivingly referred to as “Net Neutrality,” involves declaring the Internet a “public utility” and gives the FCC the power to decide what Internet service providers can charge and how they operate. This is not only a direct attack on the free market, but it will also result in an increase in Internet access fees for millions of consumers in America. It’s a massive tax on the middle class, plain and simple. The details are complicated but here’s the truth: If "Net Neutrality" is passed, for the first time ever, the Internet will be under the rule of an antiquated regulation designed for land line telephones. President Obama wants to take something that’s working just fine, and tie it up in red tape--sound familiar? We've seen this movie before--it's called ObamaCare. The FCC plans to vote on Feb. 26th on whether or not the government should take their usual heavy handed approach to controlling the Internet or do the right thing and leave it alone. I need your help to tell President Obama and the FCC: "Don't mess with the Internet!" An unregulated Internet has been the single greatest catalyst in history for individual liberty and free markets on the planet. It has created the greatest revolution since Henry Ford invented the Model T. Let's get this straight--technology has progressed because it has been driven by a free and open Internet--not because of DC bureaucrats. This latest attempt to regulate the web threatens to interrupt that positive innovation, set the market back, and kill jobs. A free, flourishing Internet is as important as anything man has ever created. But those freedoms are under assault. Please, stand with me and help protect Internet freedom by signing this petition today. These attempts to regulate the Internet are a direct attack on the freedom of information and an innovative market. The government needs to stay out of the way. Free markets are worth protecting. Please tell your friends, your families, that there’s nothing neutral about net neutrality. We have to stop this aggressive, invasive, and harmful regulation and we need all the help we can get to do it. Sincerely, Senator Rand Paul

#Obama ’ s #Internet Regulation plan really is bad news

By: Neil Stevens (Diary)  |  February 12th, 2015 '

Critics who don’t want to debate the merits of expanded government like to portray the Net Neutrality debate as activists vs Cable Companies™, but this isn’t that at all. This is the people vs. the Obama administration, as it is with EPA, NLRB, and every other overreaching regulator.

Don’t take my word for it. Commissioner Ajit Pai says “The American People are being misled about President Obama’s plan to regulate the Internet.” He’s seen the plan, folks. He’s in a position to know who’s lying, and who isn’t.

Ajit Pai is the man. I’ve met him, and the impression I really got was that he’s a smart guy who is really excited about technology, and really cares about getting things right. I really never got the impression he was some activist or ideologue, and so when he’s using strong language like this, I think we should listen.

Mark Cuban doesn’t like the President’s plan, either, but what does he know? He only made his fortune streaming video.

Dean Heller wants to force FCC to be transparent. I like this. It’s a start.

Technological ignorance at work: “Broadband Providers are not the Internet”. Wow. Trying to draw a line between ‘Internet’ and ‘Not Internet’ is a fool’s errand. The Internet *is* the entire series of connected networks. The Internet isn’t just the backbone. If it were, it wouldn’t have value. The Internet’s value is in what’s at the edges, both customers and businesses, and that makes the networks of ISPs an integral part of the Internet.

---

We shouldn’t let it get taxed by money-grubbing local governments, either. It’s not just interstate commerce, it’s global commerce.

http://goo.gl/CNU9ML

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#BREAKING PROPOSED #INTERNET REGULATION ‘MIMICS OBAMACARE’ @BreitbartNews

by IAN HANCHETT11 Feb 2015508

Republican FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai said that proposed Internet regulation “mimics Obamacare” both in process and substance, was “adopting a solution that won’t work to a problem that doesn’t exist using legal authority we don’t have,” and would lead to “billions of dollars in new taxes” on Wednesday’s “Mark Levin Show.”

“I’ve got to tell you that I’ve heard from a lot of people who are amazed at how the entire process that this issue has progressed on, and the substance of it mimics Obamacare that Washington bureaucracy would keep this plan in the dark, wouldn’t release it until after it was voted on, and you have the FCC, or any federal agency essentially micromanaging the private sector” he stated.

Pai declared that, “in [an] unprecedented fashion, right after the November elections the president announced, not just what he wanted the FCC to do, but the very legal foundation by which he wanted the FCC to it.”

#Obama #cybersecurity push spurs privacy fears

Geoff Dyer in Washington and Hannah Kuchler in San Francisco

©Getty

After the bruising recriminations between the White House and the technology industry over the National Security Agency, Barack Obama will travel to the Bay Area on Friday to enlist Silicon Valley’s support for his post-Snowden push for cyber security legislation.

Mr Obama will host senior executives from the technology, finance and healthcare sectors on Friday at a cyber security “summit” at Stanford University as part of his bid to encourage greater sharing of information about cyber thrYet while Mr Obama’s renewed focus on cyber security has been welcomed by the tech industry, the president will continue to face some of the same suspicions over the privacy of online data that were so forcefully highlighted by the Edward Snowden revelations about the NSA inResponding to the steady stream of major data breaches at US companies in recent months including Sony, Anthem and Target, the president unveiled a series of cyber security proposals in his State of the Union address last month, some of them new and some revived.

http://goo.gl/6xTKA6

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#BREAKING NEW DEPARTMENT Of the #INTERNET HOTLINE !

REPUBLICAN #FCC MEMBER WARNS #NETNEUTRALITY IS NOT NEUTRAL

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by CHRISS W. STREET9 Feb 2015Newport Beach, CA795

Ajit Pai, the sole Republican Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), inferred in a Tweet that President Barack Obama’s secret, 332-page “Net Neutrality” document is a scheme for federal micro-managing of the Internet to extract billions in new taxes from consumers and again enforce progressives’ idea of honest, equitable, and balanced content fairness.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler recently acknowledged that the two Democrats on the commission had decided to avoid Congressional input regarding the Internet by adopting President Franklin Roosevelt’s 1934 Communications Act to regulate the Internet with the same federal control as the old AT&T customer monopoly. To make sure that libertarian advocates would remain in the dark, Wheeler “embargoed” release of any of the specifics in the new administrative “policy” that will act as law.

The FCC legislation that was passed eighty-one years ago by the most leftist Congress in American history to ban companies from participating in “unjust or unreasonable discrimination” when providing phone services to customers

http://goo.gl/wrmcUo

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#BREAKING #Internet Awaits New #FEDERAL Rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — Whose Internet is it anyway?

Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, says he's keeping that question in mind as he pitches the biggest regulatory shake-up to the telecommunications industry since 1996, when people still used noisy modems and referred to the "information superhighway" as a fun way to buy books or check the weather.

Wheeler has not publicly released his plan yet, and might not for a few weeks. But he has suggested that Internet service has become as critical to people in the United States as water, electricity or phone service and should be regulated like any other public utility.

Wheeler told reporters this past week that he wants "yardsticks in place to determine what is in the best interest of consumers as opposed to what is in the best interest of the gatekeepers."

http://goo.gl/rtmasP

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