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Hmmm, so if I were on CenturyLink and in the "SOL" category the following could have happened. Attempting to email my state senators to express a political opi

Hmmm, so if I were on CenturyLink and in the "SOL" category the following could have happened. Attempting to email my state senators to express a political opinion? Freedom of speech: Blocked. Buying from a company online, located in another state? Interstate commerce: Blocked. Trying to run an online business? Blocked. Trying to contact my kids? Blocked. My elderly grandmother is dying and family was trying to Skype me in since I couldn't make it? Blocked. The number of constitutional laws, federal laws, and moral laws broken here is mindbogglingly astronomical. Good luck, CenturyLink.

kingbirdy 8y ago
Your constitutional protections are protections from the government, not businesses.
- blattimwind 8y ago
  This isn't necessarily true. E.g. the fourth amendment applies, according to precedent, to communications service providers in at least some capacity.
  - wahern 8y ago
    In their capacity as agents of the government.
- craftyguy 8y ago
  Is the line a bit fuzzy though because most ISPs in the US are government-sanctioned monopolies?
  - erikpukinskis 8y ago
    Are you sure?
    - craftyguy 8y ago
      No, that's why I'm asking... Not every question on the internet is a thinly veiled attempt to make a statement!
      - justwalt 8y ago
        I find this unique trait of the Internet tiresome at times. I’d prefer not to feel like I have to include a disclaimer on a question comment to avoid coming off hostile.
        carapace 8y ago
        C'mon man, there's no voice-tone in text! ;-)
      - erikpukinskis 8y ago
        I meant the bit that most ISPs are government sanctioned monopolies. I thought you were stating that as fact, within your larger question.
  - seandougall 8y ago
    Seems unlikely. Almost all of those examples are things you can do without Internet access at all, using phone or snail mail. (The one exception is running an online business, but AFAIK that is not specifically constitutionally protected.) You can also get Internet access through other means, even if it's less convenient and/or more expensive. There might be a government-sanctioned monopoly on cable, but at least around here, there's also DSL, satellite, cellular data, dial-up, and even third-party fiber. Granted, not every place has all those options, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a place in the US where you can't access at least one.
- behringer 8y ago
  But in this case they were blocked due to government regulation.
otakucode 8y ago
In the USA, Internet access is a luxury entertainment product. It is not a public utility, as you seem to be thinking of it. I'd argue it absolutely shouldn't be a luxury entertainment product, but our law is carefully constructed to ensure that it remains as such. This actively prevents government considering too deeply the idea that citizens need or should have access.

kingbirdy 8y ago

Your constitutional protections are protections from the government, not businesses.

blattimwind 8y ago
This isn't necessarily true. E.g. the fourth amendment applies, according to precedent, to communications service providers in at least some capacity.
- wahern 8y ago
  In their capacity as agents of the government.
craftyguy 8y ago
Is the line a bit fuzzy though because most ISPs in the US are government-sanctioned monopolies?
- erikpukinskis 8y ago
  Are you sure?
  - craftyguy 8y ago
    No, that's why I'm asking... Not every question on the internet is a thinly veiled attempt to make a statement!
    - justwalt 8y ago
      I find this unique trait of the Internet tiresome at times. I’d prefer not to feel like I have to include a disclaimer on a question comment to avoid coming off hostile.
      - carapace 8y ago
        C'mon man, there's no voice-tone in text! ;-)
    - erikpukinskis 8y ago
      I meant the bit that most ISPs are government sanctioned monopolies. I thought you were stating that as fact, within your larger question.
- seandougall 8y ago
  Seems unlikely. Almost all of those examples are things you can do without Internet access at all, using phone or snail mail. (The one exception is running an online business, but AFAIK that is not specifically constitutionally protected.) You can also get Internet access through other means, even if it's less convenient and/or more expensive. There might be a government-sanctioned monopoly on cable, but at least around here, there's also DSL, satellite, cellular data, dial-up, and even third-party fiber. Granted, not every place has all those options, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a place in the US where you can't access at least one.
behringer 8y ago
But in this case they were blocked due to government regulation.

otakucode 8y ago

In the USA, Internet access is a luxury entertainment product. It is not a public utility, as you seem to be thinking of it. I'd argue it absolutely shouldn't be a luxury entertainment product, but our law is carefully constructed to ensure that it remains as such. This actively prevents government considering too deeply the idea that citizens need or should have access.