Tech Crunch
This is the future if net neutrality is repealed; the creeping, costly death of media freedom
[Commentary] If you’re scared of a future America without network neutrality, I want to terrify you. The potential repeal of what should be a civic right should chill you to the bone. After spending twelve years running a company that helps millions of people to break through the barriers of censorship imposed by oppressive governments, I am quite familiar with the ramifications of such repressions.
These are the arguments against net neutrality — and why they’re wrong
1. Title II is a depression-era rule intended for regulating the AT&T/Ma Bell monopoly. TL;DR: A law from another time, yes, but a strong one that’s been updated
2. The 1996 Telecommunications act says the internet should be unfettered by state or federal regulation. TL;DR: It was “fettered” for years and did great — plus, that part of the law isn’t law, and it’s about porn
3. The rules have discouraged investment. TL;DR: No company claims this and the numbers are inconclusive at best
4. It stifles small businesses with reporting and restrictions. TL;DR: Potentially, but there are already allowances for this
5. The “general conduct rule” is vague and open-ended. TL;DR: So change it
6. We’re not trying to remove net neutrality rules, just Title II. TL;DR: Removing the rules is literally in the proposal
7. The rules work without Title II anyway. TL;DR: Nope, we tried this already
8. The internet wasn’t broken before 2015 and ISPs don’t block or throttle. TL;DR: It remained unbroken because of constant vigilance, not because ISPs didn’t try