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> As is common when HN discusses legal matters I see a lot of people blaming the judges for not understanding tech, but the problem here isn't really the judges

> As is common when HN discusses legal matters I see a lot of people blaming the judges for not understanding tech, but the problem here isn't really the judges so much as the law itself. Or to state it more plainly: the problem is legislators not understanding tech, and not updating our laws to account for the way computers and the internet have transformed society over the last 40 years. This was a similar gripe in the Net Neutrality arguments on HN. It's truly insane that regulatory bodies are using public utility laws from 1934 - before even the mass adoption of television - to create the rules that govern the internet.

coliveira 6y ago
However, when legislators try to do their job there is ample outcry that big government is infringing on the rights of people and companies to do free commerce. What gives?
nobody9999 6y ago
>This was a similar gripe in the Net Neutrality arguments on HN. It's truly insane that regulatory bodies are using public utility laws from 1934 - before even the mass adoption of television - to create the rules that govern the internet. I have no issue with updating (or even replacing) the Communications Act of 1934, since much has changed in the last 24 years (the last time the act was updated). But claiming that the Communications Act of 1934[0] originally enacted in 1934, is a public utility law that's over 80 years old isn't accurate. In fact, has been repeatedly modified and updated, the last time in 1996. You could certainly argue that 1996 was a long time ago too (almost 25 years), but arguing that the law applied was, in its entirety, 80+ years old is uninformed at best and disingenuous at worst. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commiss... Edit: Fixed typos.

coliveira 6y ago

However, when legislators try to do their job there is ample outcry that big government is infringing on the rights of people and companies to do free commerce. What gives?

nobody9999 6y ago

>This was a similar gripe in the Net Neutrality arguments on HN. It's truly insane that regulatory bodies are using public utility laws from 1934 - before even the mass adoption of television - to create the rules that govern the internet. I have no issue with updating (or even replacing) the Communications Act of 1934, since much has changed in the last 24 years (the last time the act was updated). But claiming that the Communications Act of 1934[0] originally enacted in 1934, is a public utility law that's over 80 years old isn't accurate. In fact, has been repeatedly modified and updated, the last time in 1996. You could certainly argue that 1996 was a long time ago too (almost 25 years), but arguing that the law applied was, in its entirety, 80+ years old is uninformed at best and disingenuous at worst. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commission#History https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Communications_Commiss... Edit: Fixed typos.