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Isn't the entire notion of NN outdated given the mass censorship that's sprung up the past 4-5 years? Isn't it vastly more important to ensure free speech on t

Isn't the entire notion of NN outdated given the mass censorship that's sprung up the past 4-5 years? Isn't it vastly more important to ensure free speech on the internet than the speed of your netflix stream. Seems like a misguided battle.

SV_BubbleTime 3y ago
You should know a lot of the people you are asking that good question to, and the very people pushing for NN again are the people that saw no issue with the past 4-5 years because "the right people" were being censored. In a more steelman argument, you could probably discuss that another form of censorship could always come in the form of a tier that only includes "approved sources" or throttling anyone deemed as "misinformation".
triceratops 3y ago
> Isn't it vastly more important to ensure free speech on the internet than the speed of your netflix stream If they can slow down your Netflix stream, they can also impair others' access to your self-hosted blog. I can't think of a more direct, fundamental threat to free speech than that. It's the same as the power company turning off service to your printing press.
- TheCaptain4815 3y ago
  Who's "they"? Every ISP collaborating together to censor specific websites? Highly doubt that ever happens. Plus, companies like Starlink have made that practically impossible. Add in 5g internet options and I can't see how that could be practical. All of that has been added in the past 3-5 years too.
  - triceratops 3y ago
    Then contrary to what you originally claimed, there's no free speech issues on the internet right now, Unless you're talking about having your "free speech" on whatever site or service you want. That's not free speech. It's more like communism. > Highly doubt that ever happens It would be a serious free speech violation. Best to make it illegal so it never does. If you're censored on literally all social media you can still host your own website or IRC server. If ISPs start censoring you it's game over. Even one ISP slowing down specific websites by a bit would be very bad. Slowness tends to decrease traffic, and people would almost never notice. And then add in the fact that it's so difficult to change ISPs: spend an hour on the phone with the cancellation department, schedule an installation for the new service yada yada yada.

SV_BubbleTime 3y ago

You should know a lot of the people you are asking that good question to, and the very people pushing for NN again are the people that saw no issue with the past 4-5 years because "the right people" were being censored. In a more steelman argument, you could probably discuss that another form of censorship could always come in the form of a tier that only includes "approved sources" or throttling anyone deemed as "misinformation".

triceratops 3y ago

> Isn't it vastly more important to ensure free speech on the internet than the speed of your netflix stream If they can slow down your Netflix stream, they can also impair others' access to your self-hosted blog. I can't think of a more direct, fundamental threat to free speech than that. It's the same as the power company turning off service to your printing press.

TheCaptain4815 3y ago
Who's "they"? Every ISP collaborating together to censor specific websites? Highly doubt that ever happens. Plus, companies like Starlink have made that practically impossible. Add in 5g internet options and I can't see how that could be practical. All of that has been added in the past 3-5 years too.
- triceratops 3y ago
  Then contrary to what you originally claimed, there's no free speech issues on the internet right now, Unless you're talking about having your "free speech" on whatever site or service you want. That's not free speech. It's more like communism. > Highly doubt that ever happens It would be a serious free speech violation. Best to make it illegal so it never does. If you're censored on literally all social media you can still host your own website or IRC server. If ISPs start censoring you it's game over. Even one ISP slowing down specific websites by a bit would be very bad. Slowness tends to decrease traffic, and people would almost never notice. And then add in the fact that it's so difficult to change ISPs: spend an hour on the phone with the cancellation department, schedule an installation for the new service yada yada yada.