Like so much of the legislation passed under FDR’s New Deal, the broad scope of the powers granted to government here is breathtaking. The FCC wants the authority to force ISPs to provide service against their will, at times for free, to withstand endless harassment from complaints which are not the result of direct harm, and bend unquestioningly to whatever rules the intentionally vague and capricious “just and reasonable” Commission may demand. Furthermore, the FCC claims the authority to punish any violation of its unilateral terms by fines that are left entirely up to its own discretion.

If all that is not enough to convince you that the powers claimed by the FCC go far beyond the prevention of discrimination, into the realms of complete and dictatorial control over internet service provision, with potentially disastrous consequence, I urge all people who love the internet for the freedom of expression it allows to take heed of the following.

Section 223:

Whoever in interstate or foreign communications by means of a telecommunications device knowingly makes, creates, or solicits, and initiates the transmission of, any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other communication which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, or indecent, with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass another person shall be fined under title 18, United States Code, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

The internet is doomed.

FK – The greedy corporate workaholic assholes who run the net are often no better.