6 ms·

Ajit Pai confirmed as new head of the FCC

62 points by electic 10y ago

ErikAugust 10y ago
Does this signal "bye bye" to Net Neutrality?
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
lightedman 10y ago
We can be guaranteed almost nil technological progress or freedom with this guy in office. Watch. Net Neutrality first, then more DMCA-like restrictions coming afterwards.
- CoffeeDregs 10y ago
  I'm generally for Net Neutrality but you seem to be suggesting that regulation drives technological progress. Modulo things like natural monopolies, unaccounted-for externalities, etc, isn't the opposite usually true? Also, are you suggesting that Ajit Pai represents "regulatory capture" and has no regard for the consumers of the industry he helps regulates? Perhaps it is the case that he's a terrible person, but it might also be the case that he has a different perspective on how best to drive innovation in the telecom industry. I'm not sure how I feel about Trump but he's a new President and I'm going to root for him and for his team until he makes an actual mistake and not a maybe-could-turn-into-a-mistake-someday choice.
  - youdounderstand 10y ago
    Net neutrality requires regulation. Otherwise everyone will follow what T-Mobile is doing.
  - resfirestar 10y ago
    Well you're right: maybe Pai doesn't hate consumers (though if we treat him as honest, he's dim enough to inadvertently be anti-consumer[0]), and he has very different views about how to drive innovation.[1] But it's about increasing investment and profitability for large ISPs through some of their more despised ideas that the net neutrality rules tried to preempt: expensive peering, paid speedups, and tiered access for consumers.[2] All of these things are very bad for tech startups and tech-savvy consumers. You're not going to find much sympathy for those ideas 'round these parts, or really anywhere outside Comcast's boardroom. [0] https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20150116/10495129722/fcc-commissioner-pai-continues-his-strange-somewhat-incoherent-assault-netflix.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/2015011... [1] http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016/db1219/DOC-342677A1.pdf http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016... [2] http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/01/23/new-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-no-net-neutrality-fan/96967372/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/01/23/new-fcc-c...
  - wmf 10y ago
    Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress: they want faster speeds but no other "innovation" from ISPs. So regulation is the perfect tool.
    - dragonwriter 10y ago
      > Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress Untrue of any of the net neutrality advocates I know. Net neutrality advocates don't see the oligopolistic (and often regionally monopolistic) market for internet access as one that positions ISPs in the US to be agents of rapid technology change in any circumstances. Assuming that those who disagree with you about policy must agree with you about facts (e.g., what would happen in the absence of their preferred policy) is a good way to assure that your inferences about their motivation will be wildly incorrect.
      - wmf 10y ago
        Note that I am mostly a net neutrality advocate. I agree that ISPs aren't very innovative and I would further add that virtually all of their "innovations" are anti-consumer.
    - endemic 10y ago
      What other sorts of innovations do ISPs have to offer? Admittedly I'm a curmudgeon, but all I want is decent service at a fair price...
      - wmf 10y ago
        Throttling video to prevent you from going over your cap (T-Mobile). Spying on you and selling that information to reduce your bill (AT&T). Extorting money from CDNs (Comcast).
  - curt15 10y ago
    >Modulo things like natural monopolies, unaccounted-for externalities, etc, isn't the opposite usually true? The purpose of "net neutrality" is precisely to combat the problem of natural monopolies in the ISP market and the inevitable abuses that result. Perhaps a better solution which has seen some success in other countries at promoting competition is local loop unbundling, but this guy has shown no sign of preferring that.
  - acdha 10y ago
    The difference with Ajit Pai is that he has years of recent history making statements which are often ungrounded in reality but consistently very friendly to large ISPs. Ars Technica's covered that a lot over the years (https://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=ajit+pai https://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=ajit+pai) – here are some highlights: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/fccs-ajit-pai-says-net-neutralitys-days-are-numbered-under-trump/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/fccs-a... http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/02/ajit-pai-net-neutrality-will-help-foreign-leaders-control-the-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/02/ajit-pai-net-neut... “Strong net neutrality rules in the US would give authoritarian states an excuse to strengthen their grip over the Internet, Federal Communications Commission member Ajit Pai reportedly said today.” (see also http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015/db0312/FCC-15-24A5.pdf http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015...) And, when network neutrality didn't go his way, he asked Congress to sabotage enforcement: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/new-tactic-in-war-on-net-neutrality-strip-fcc-of-enforcement-funding/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/new-tactic-in-war-on... http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/05/ajit-pai-votes-against-chartertwc-merger-objects-to-wheelers-conditions/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/05/ajit-pai-votes-again... He objected to the Charter TWC merger on the grounds that it should NOT have conditions prohibiting “imposing data caps and overage fees on Internet customers, charging large online content providers for network interconnection, and stifling growth of online video by demanding restrictive clauses in contracts with programmers.” He's convinced the bad guy in the paid fast lane program is Netflix, not the ISPs trying to double-charge for service and made some truly bizarre claims about how open standards work: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/12/netflix-accused-of-creating-fast-lanes-at-the-expense-of-competitors/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/12/netfli... When Congress was investigating the network neutrality rule-making process, he flat out refused to supply the requested documents to the committee: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/fcc-republicans-allegedly-obstructed-investigation-of-net-neutrality-order/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/fcc-re... When the FCC chairman tried to set a modern definition for broadband speed, he opposed it: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-industry-claims-that-customers-dont-need-faster-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-i... One of two votes against opening up cable box competition: http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/02/fcc-votes-to-unlock-the-cable-box-over-republican-opposition/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/02/fcc-votes-to-unlock-... He was one of the two votes against a cap on the rates phone companies charge prison inmates: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/prison-phone-companies-fight-for-right-to-charge-inmates-14-a-minute/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/prison-phone-comp...
- simplehuman 10y ago
  So, same as the previous govt?
- eppsilon 10y ago
  FWIW, when the previous FCC chairman was nominated there was concern about his being a former industry lobbyist [1] - but he supported net neutrality strongly. (On the other hand, he and the Obama administration didn't do much to prevent mergers like Charter + TWC, etc.) 1. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/new-fcc-chairman-is-former-lobbyist-for-cable-and-wireless-industries/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/new-fcc-chairman-...
  - resfirestar 10y ago
    It was a surprise because the first time the FCC ever talked about net neutrality, the supposedly ISP-friendly guy came out on the right side. Pai has made his position clear: net neutrality blocks innovation and investment. He also doesn't seem to know what he's talking about all the time: https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20150116/10495129722/fcc-commissioner-pai-continues-his-strange-somewhat-incoherent-assault-netflix.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/2015011...
  - chimeracoder 10y ago
    > On the other hand, he and the Obama administration didn't do much to prevent mergers like Charter + TWC, etc. The Charter/TWC deal was preceded by the (much more significant, if it had been successful) deal with Comcast and Time Warner Cable. The FCC did look into that, though the deal was called off before the FCC would have announced any action (if any at all) that they would take: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_purchase_of_Time_Warner_Cable_by_Comcast#Federal_Communications_Commission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_purchase_of_Time_War...
  - doctorshady 10y ago
    Wheeler's lobbying days were decades ago. Pai's consistent anti-consumer, pro-industry approach on nearly every issue is incredibly recent.
  - doctorshady 10y ago
    Wheeler's lobbying days were decades ago. Pai's consistent anti-consumer, pro-industry approach on nearly every issue is incredibly recent.
doctorshady 10y ago
Thankfully, his anti-regulation stance is going to have a lot of opposition, particularly from the net neutrality crowd (including powerful allies like Google). But still - it's not like any of the other agencies like the EPA got a better head. Particularly with the federal hiring freeze, I wonder what DC's workforce is thinking right now.
- cwisecarver 10y ago
  I think DC's workforce is thinking about getting into contracting or consulting. Anytime Republicans cut into the actual federal workforce they just make up for it with outside contracting. Then they can say they cut the workforce while still paying 2.5X+ the amount they would if they just hired someone.
  - acdha 10y ago
    This is very trhe but you left out the key part: contracting companies are usually very profitable and that can translate into political funding. Government agencies are prohibited from direct support and the non-defense workforce has been the punching bag for so long that they're not going to donate personally to the party which has been attacking them.
genieyclo 10y ago
Interesting that I haven't seen anyone writing about the (unusually?) large number of Indian-Americans appointed by President Trump.
- electic 10y ago
  What constitutes "unusually high"? Also, by your tone, it sounds like it is a problem worth highlighting when it isn't.
  - nolok 10y ago
    He did say it was worth highlighting, but certainly not that it was (or wasn't) a problem.
  - genieyclo 10y ago
    Why would it be a problem? I just thought it was interesting and am surprised no one has opined about it yet (afaict)
  - CoffeeDregs 10y ago
    I didn't get anything negative from GP. I think they were just wondering at the lack of comments from a likely over-represented HN Indian population about Trump nominating a decent number of Indian Americans... I had not noticed (yes, I'm a white guy) and now I have so I appreciated the comment.
    - genieyclo 10y ago
      Anywhere in American media really, not HN.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
- devereaux 10y ago
  Because it goes against the leftist portrayal of Trump as being racist. So they remain silent.
revelation 10y ago
Tidal, Jay Z’s Streaming Service, Sells a Stake to Sprint Shame on him who thinks evil of it.
- Apocryphon 10y ago
  Shawn Corey Garter?
kevin2r 10y ago
I have opened this link two times thinking it was related to FreeCodeCamp (www.freecodecamp.com) lol

62 points by electic 10y ago

ErikAugust 10y ago

Does this signal "bye bye" to Net Neutrality?

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

lightedman 10y ago

We can be guaranteed almost nil technological progress or freedom with this guy in office. Watch. Net Neutrality first, then more DMCA-like restrictions coming afterwards.

CoffeeDregs 10y ago
I'm generally for Net Neutrality but you seem to be suggesting that regulation drives technological progress. Modulo things like natural monopolies, unaccounted-for externalities, etc, isn't the opposite usually true? Also, are you suggesting that Ajit Pai represents "regulatory capture" and has no regard for the consumers of the industry he helps regulates? Perhaps it is the case that he's a terrible person, but it might also be the case that he has a different perspective on how best to drive innovation in the telecom industry. I'm not sure how I feel about Trump but he's a new President and I'm going to root for him and for his team until he makes an actual mistake and not a maybe-could-turn-into-a-mistake-someday choice.
- youdounderstand 10y ago
  Net neutrality requires regulation. Otherwise everyone will follow what T-Mobile is doing.
- resfirestar 10y ago
  Well you're right: maybe Pai doesn't hate consumers (though if we treat him as honest, he's dim enough to inadvertently be anti-consumer[0]), and he has very different views about how to drive innovation.[1] But it's about increasing investment and profitability for large ISPs through some of their more despised ideas that the net neutrality rules tried to preempt: expensive peering, paid speedups, and tiered access for consumers.[2] All of these things are very bad for tech startups and tech-savvy consumers. You're not going to find much sympathy for those ideas 'round these parts, or really anywhere outside Comcast's boardroom. [0] https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20150116/10495129722/fcc-commissioner-pai-continues-his-strange-somewhat-incoherent-assault-netflix.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/2015011... [1] http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016/db1219/DOC-342677A1.pdf http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2016... [2] http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/01/23/new-fcc-chairman-ajit-pai-no-net-neutrality-fan/96967372/ http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2017/01/23/new-fcc-c...
- wmf 10y ago
  Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress: they want faster speeds but no other "innovation" from ISPs. So regulation is the perfect tool.
  - dragonwriter 10y ago
    > Net neutrality advocates want very limited technological progress Untrue of any of the net neutrality advocates I know. Net neutrality advocates don't see the oligopolistic (and often regionally monopolistic) market for internet access as one that positions ISPs in the US to be agents of rapid technology change in any circumstances. Assuming that those who disagree with you about policy must agree with you about facts (e.g., what would happen in the absence of their preferred policy) is a good way to assure that your inferences about their motivation will be wildly incorrect.
    - wmf 10y ago
      Note that I am mostly a net neutrality advocate. I agree that ISPs aren't very innovative and I would further add that virtually all of their "innovations" are anti-consumer.
  - endemic 10y ago
    What other sorts of innovations do ISPs have to offer? Admittedly I'm a curmudgeon, but all I want is decent service at a fair price...
    - wmf 10y ago
      Throttling video to prevent you from going over your cap (T-Mobile). Spying on you and selling that information to reduce your bill (AT&T). Extorting money from CDNs (Comcast).
- curt15 10y ago
  >Modulo things like natural monopolies, unaccounted-for externalities, etc, isn't the opposite usually true? The purpose of "net neutrality" is precisely to combat the problem of natural monopolies in the ISP market and the inevitable abuses that result. Perhaps a better solution which has seen some success in other countries at promoting competition is local loop unbundling, but this guy has shown no sign of preferring that.
- acdha 10y ago
  The difference with Ajit Pai is that he has years of recent history making statements which are often ungrounded in reality but consistently very friendly to large ISPs. Ars Technica's covered that a lot over the years (https://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=ajit+pai https://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=ajit+pai) – here are some highlights: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/fccs-ajit-pai-says-net-neutralitys-days-are-numbered-under-trump/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/12/fccs-a... http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/02/ajit-pai-net-neutrality-will-help-foreign-leaders-control-the-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/02/ajit-pai-net-neut... “Strong net neutrality rules in the US would give authoritarian states an excuse to strengthen their grip over the Internet, Federal Communications Commission member Ajit Pai reportedly said today.” (see also http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015/db0312/FCC-15-24A5.pdf http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2015...) And, when network neutrality didn't go his way, he asked Congress to sabotage enforcement: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/new-tactic-in-war-on-net-neutrality-strip-fcc-of-enforcement-funding/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/03/new-tactic-in-war-on... http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/05/ajit-pai-votes-against-chartertwc-merger-objects-to-wheelers-conditions/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/05/ajit-pai-votes-again... He objected to the Charter TWC merger on the grounds that it should NOT have conditions prohibiting “imposing data caps and overage fees on Internet customers, charging large online content providers for network interconnection, and stifling growth of online video by demanding restrictive clauses in contracts with programmers.” He's convinced the bad guy in the paid fast lane program is Netflix, not the ISPs trying to double-charge for service and made some truly bizarre claims about how open standards work: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/12/netflix-accused-of-creating-fast-lanes-at-the-expense-of-competitors/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/12/netfli... When Congress was investigating the network neutrality rule-making process, he flat out refused to supply the requested documents to the committee: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/fcc-republicans-allegedly-obstructed-investigation-of-net-neutrality-order/ http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/09/fcc-re... When the FCC chairman tried to set a modern definition for broadband speed, he opposed it: http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-industry-claims-that-customers-dont-need-faster-internet/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/fcc-chairman-mocks-i... One of two votes against opening up cable box competition: http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/02/fcc-votes-to-unlock-the-cable-box-over-republican-opposition/ http://arstechnica.com/business/2016/02/fcc-votes-to-unlock-... He was one of the two votes against a cap on the rates phone companies charge prison inmates: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/prison-phone-companies-fight-for-right-to-charge-inmates-14-a-minute/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/prison-phone-comp...
simplehuman 10y ago
So, same as the previous govt?
eppsilon 10y ago
FWIW, when the previous FCC chairman was nominated there was concern about his being a former industry lobbyist [1] - but he supported net neutrality strongly. (On the other hand, he and the Obama administration didn't do much to prevent mergers like Charter + TWC, etc.) 1. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/new-fcc-chairman-is-former-lobbyist-for-cable-and-wireless-industries/ http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/new-fcc-chairman-...
- resfirestar 10y ago
  It was a surprise because the first time the FCC ever talked about net neutrality, the supposedly ISP-friendly guy came out on the right side. Pai has made his position clear: net neutrality blocks innovation and investment. He also doesn't seem to know what he's talking about all the time: https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/20150116/10495129722/fcc-commissioner-pai-continues-his-strange-somewhat-incoherent-assault-netflix.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/blog/netneutrality/articles/2015011...
- chimeracoder 10y ago
  > On the other hand, he and the Obama administration didn't do much to prevent mergers like Charter + TWC, etc. The Charter/TWC deal was preceded by the (much more significant, if it had been successful) deal with Comcast and Time Warner Cable. The FCC did look into that, though the deal was called off before the FCC would have announced any action (if any at all) that they would take: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_purchase_of_Time_Warner_Cable_by_Comcast#Federal_Communications_Commission https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attempted_purchase_of_Time_War...
- doctorshady 10y ago
  Wheeler's lobbying days were decades ago. Pai's consistent anti-consumer, pro-industry approach on nearly every issue is incredibly recent.
- doctorshady 10y ago
  Wheeler's lobbying days were decades ago. Pai's consistent anti-consumer, pro-industry approach on nearly every issue is incredibly recent.

doctorshady 10y ago

Thankfully, his anti-regulation stance is going to have a lot of opposition, particularly from the net neutrality crowd (including powerful allies like Google). But still - it's not like any of the other agencies like the EPA got a better head. Particularly with the federal hiring freeze, I wonder what DC's workforce is thinking right now.

cwisecarver 10y ago
I think DC's workforce is thinking about getting into contracting or consulting. Anytime Republicans cut into the actual federal workforce they just make up for it with outside contracting. Then they can say they cut the workforce while still paying 2.5X+ the amount they would if they just hired someone.
- acdha 10y ago
  This is very trhe but you left out the key part: contracting companies are usually very profitable and that can translate into political funding. Government agencies are prohibited from direct support and the non-defense workforce has been the punching bag for so long that they're not going to donate personally to the party which has been attacking them.

genieyclo 10y ago

Interesting that I haven't seen anyone writing about the (unusually?) large number of Indian-Americans appointed by President Trump.

electic 10y ago
What constitutes "unusually high"? Also, by your tone, it sounds like it is a problem worth highlighting when it isn't.
- nolok 10y ago
  He did say it was worth highlighting, but certainly not that it was (or wasn't) a problem.
- genieyclo 10y ago
  Why would it be a problem? I just thought it was interesting and am surprised no one has opined about it yet (afaict)
- CoffeeDregs 10y ago
  I didn't get anything negative from GP. I think they were just wondering at the lack of comments from a likely over-represented HN Indian population about Trump nominating a decent number of Indian Americans... I had not noticed (yes, I'm a white guy) and now I have so I appreciated the comment.
  - genieyclo 10y ago
    Anywhere in American media really, not HN.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
devereaux 10y ago
Because it goes against the leftist portrayal of Trump as being racist. So they remain silent.

revelation 10y ago

Tidal, Jay Z’s Streaming Service, Sells a Stake to Sprint Shame on him who thinks evil of it.

Apocryphon 10y ago
Shawn Corey Garter?

kevin2r 10y ago

I have opened this link two times thinking it was related to FreeCodeCamp (www.freecodecamp.com) lol