28 Senators ask FCC to delay net neutrality vote, Pai's office says vote will continue...

[Polycount]

The FCC's plan to roll back Title II Net Neutrality regulations has been the subject of dire controversy and heated debate lately. As the commission's December 14th vote to keep or roll back Title II regulations gets closer, net neutrality supporters have come out in force.

On Cyber Monday alone over 200 companies signed a letter to the FCC in strong support of net neutrality regulations, claiming that major sales periods for businesses -- like Black Friday -- are only possible with a free and open internet.

It seems that the public letter-writing trend is catching on, with 28 US senators now co-signing a letter to the FCC officially asking the commission to delay their December 14th vote. The basis for this request comes from mounting evidence that a portion of the FCC's 22 million public comments regarding Title II regulations may have been fake.

According to one report from data scientist Jeff Kao, over 1.3 million comments have been proven to be fraudulent in nature thus far, with many comments impersonating US residents or using duplicate email addresses.

As stated in the letter, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has spent the past 6 months performing an investigation of his own regarding the comments in question, with his findings largely reflecting Kao's.

In light of this information, the senators behind the letter have requested the following of the FCC:

"[We] request a thorough investigation by the FCC into reports that bots may have interfered with this proceeding by filing hundreds of thousands of comments. ...Without additional information about the alleged anomalies surrounding the public record, the FCC cannot conduct a thorough and fair evaluation of the public's views on this topic, and should not move forward with a vote on December 14th, 2017."

When Ars Technica reached out to Pai's office for an official comment on the matter, they received the following statement:

"This is just evidence that supporters of heavy-handed Internet regulations are becoming more desperate by the day as their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled. The vote will proceed as scheduled on December 14."

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/72162-28-senators-ask-fcc-delay-net-neutrality-vote.html

 

[Fimbulvetr]

When I read:
"...their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled", I can't help but see:

"...their effort to defeat Mr. Fox's plan to restore safety and long life to the henhouse chickens has stalled".

 

[Uncle Al]

Pai isn't about to allow something as frivolous as the will of the American People to stand in the way of his personal profitability .....

 

[Evernessince]

"This is just evidence that supporters of heavy-handed Internet regulations are becoming more desperate by the day as their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled. The vote will proceed as scheduled on December 14"

Oh boy, does this read off like a dictator's note to his people. "Restore"? Last time I checked, Comcast hasn't been throttling since NN came into place. I'm guessing when he says "Internet freedom", he means for the companies.

 

[Athlonite]

"This is just evidence that supporters of heavy-handed Internet regulations are becoming more desperate by the day as their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled. The vote will proceed as scheduled on December 14"

Oh boy, does this read off like a dictator's note to his people. "Restore"? Last time I checked, Comcast hasn't been throttling since NN came into place. I'm guessing when he says "Internet freedom", he means for the companies.

My thoughts exactly I also think that Pai will miss out on an large amount of anonymous money suddenly appearing in his back pocket if the vote should not take place in the time specified by said donors... I wonder if it'll hit the supreme court for an injuction with so many senators opposing it

 

[Evernessince]

My thoughts exactly I also think that Pai will miss out on an large amount of anonymous money suddenly appearing in his back pocket if the vote should not take place in the time specified by said donors... I wonder if it'll hit the supreme court for an injuction with so many senators opposing it

I think at any rate it will be reviewed by the courts. Whether or not it goes to the supreme court depends mainly on how much noise we make about it. It's obvious Pai has no intention of backing down so we the people have to stand up and have our voices heard.

 

[EClyde]

Net Neutrality is a hoax. What it will do is delay perhaps for decades new technology because old tech will fight to preserve what they got. FM radio anyone or Cell Phones? Look it up

 

[EClyde]

Pai isn't about to allow something as frivolous as the will of the American People to stand in the way of his personal profitability .....

Look up those Senators and tell me where they getting their $ from.

 

[quadibloc]

He is restoring Internet freedom for large ISPs, but he certainly isn't restoring Internet freedom for individuals.

 

[senketsu]

"This is just evidence that supporters of heavy-handed Internet regulations are becoming more desperate by the day as their effort to defeat Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom has stalled. The vote will proceed as scheduled on December 14."
this sounds like it came from a dictator or totalitarian government. (the word 'Chairman' didn't help admittedly). Are we already here yet?

 

[stewi0001]

"...Chairman Pai's plan to restore Internet freedom..."
Oxymoron?

 

[senketsu]

Look up those Senators and tell me where they getting their $ from.

I would think largely from 'Think-tanks', Lobby groups and corporations. Indirectly from other Senators (with the same funding sources) when they donate to persuade a Senator to change his vote on an item. With a promise for a return favor at some time of course.
Back to the topic, they need to stop this vote, find out where the money to pay for the bots came from during the time they accepted public submissions and question Pai why he is so set to push this ahead despite steadily mounting opposition (like is more going on than great personal conviction).

 

[wiyosaya]

Net Neutrality is a hoax. What it will do is delay perhaps for decades new technology because old tech will fight to preserve what they got. FM radio anyone or Cell Phones? Look it up

Like the lack of heavy-handed regulation before NN came into play delayed employing technical advancements that were already available?

NN was not designed to delay technical advancement, but ensure equal access without having to pay extortion fees to keep your traffic running at full-speed on the already-paid-for supposedly fast pipe that your ISP has provided to you.

The only thing that will bring advancement is competition - which - in the US at this time - is virtually non-existent.

Since Pai is spitting on the general public and their representation, this will end up being decided by the courts. Pai pretended to go through the proper motions, but with the abject fraud and his disregard of prevailing opinion, my bet is that when this gets to the courts, it will be reversed no matter what side of the political spectrum the judges are on.

 

[OutlawCecil]

Net Neutrality is a hoax. What it will do is delay perhaps for decades new technology because old tech will fight to preserve what they got. FM radio anyone or Cell Phones? Look it up

I think you are confused. I'm going to guess you are a Trump supporter and one of those people who believe anything he says, because he told you to ignore all bad news about him. xD

 

[Evernessince]

Like the lack of heavy-handed regulation before NN came into play delayed employing technical advancements that were already available?

NN was not designed to delay technical advancement, but ensure equal access without having to pay extortion fees to keep your traffic running at full-speed on the already-paid-for supposedly fast pipe that your ISP has provided to you.

The only thing that will bring advancement is competition - which - in the US at this time - is virtually non-existent.

Since Pai is spitting on the general public and their representation, this will end up being decided by the courts. Pai pretended to go through the proper motions, but with the abject fraud and his disregard of prevailing opinion, my bet is that when this gets to the courts, it will be reversed no matter what side of the political spectrum the judges are on.

A little addendum to your comment, Net Neutrality isn't heavy handed. I've heard this as a counter argument ever since Pai first started using it and it's just not true. It doesn't enforce the rate regulation of title II, it doesn't add additional taxes, and it doesn't force ISPs into more work (like additional documentation or submitting reports). The main point of NN is is to lay guidelines that ISPs should follow (like equal priority for all internet traffic), a process by which the public can complain about ISPs violating said rules, and a process to corroborate complaints and act on them.

Removing NN gives the ISPs the ability to once again have hidden data caps and fees, they'll no longer have to provide equal access to all Americans (AKA they can now discriminate), and many many other basic things that we take for granted. Just a heads up, the less competition their is in the ISP market, the more likely Comcast will use the lack of rules to their advantage. They could easily deny access to the internet to those who do not agree with their politics.

Anyone who says "well we didn't have those issues in the 1990s!" is a fool, because we had far more ISPs back at that time than we do now, which is really really sad given that America's need for internet access has only exploded. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that in a capitalist system, when competition is nearly non-existent, prices go up.

 

[avioza]

Are we already here yet?

I need to work on my doublethink...

This is ungood!

 

[EClyde]

I think you are confused. I'm going to guess you are a Trump supporter and one of those people who believe anything he says, because he told you to ignore all bad news about him. xD

I am a proud supporter of the President. He is the best thing to happen to America since Ronald. Unlike you I make up my own mind and that is based on watching liberalism for the past 50+ years and watching what it has done to a great country.

 

[EClyde]

With NN your cost will go up. Look at all the government mandated charges on all your bills regulated by the feds.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I'm going to guess you are a Trump supporter

I am a Trump supporter. You know why? It has nothing to do with Trump. No way in hell did I want Hillary in office. So I'm proud of the fact Trump is in office. I only wish we had a better option to vote for, then and only then would I support someone else. If you don't like it, I'm sorry, you do however need to get over it.

 

[Evernessince]

I am a proud supporter of the President. He is the best thing to happen to America since Ronald. Unlike you I make up my own mind and that is based on watching liberalism for the past 50+ years and watching what it has done to a great country.

Who? Ronald McDonald? I agree, they are both clowns. At least McDonald doesn't have dementia. Ronald Reagan? Oh yeah, that guy who cut rich and corporate taxes, deregulated, and regressed rights. Oh, shouldn't have mentioned that, or that it lead to continuous downward trend in the average wage and massive increases in the disparity between the middle class and the rich. Classic trickle down for ya. Trickle down isn't a new economic system, it's just an ironic spin on a system that's been in place since civilizations first formed. The rich always the privileges and they have always used them to enrich themselves (in general). 1,000, 2,000 years ain't going to change basic human nature. Fun Fact: Ronald Reagan is the father of Globalization for America. He led the charge to removing laws and creating the largest trade deficit ever in US history. He is mostly responsible for the off shoring we see today.

 

[Evernessince]

I am a Trump supporter. You know why? It has nothing to do with Trump. No way in hell did I want Hillary in office. So I'm proud of the fact Trump is in office. I only wish we had a better option to vote for, then and only then would I support someone else. If you don't like it, I'm sorry, you do however need to get over it.

That's not what I'd call being an supporter, it's more like you're an anarchist. You didn't like the one candidate so you choose an infinitely more terrible one to spite the other. It's like "well I don't like this house so let's burn it down", simply brilliant.

 

[cliffordcooley]

That's not what I'd call being an supporter, it's more like you're an anarchist. You didn't like the one candidate so you choose an infinitely more terrible one to spite the other. It's like "well I don't like this house so let's burn it down", simply brilliant.

You don't know how to read do you? There was nothing in my words suggesting I didn't support Trump. And if Hillary had of taken office, we would be at war with Putin. If you can't see that bi-tch is evil, something is wrong with you.

 

[Evernessince]

You don't know how to read do you? There was nothing in my words suggesting I didn't support Trump. And if Hillary had of taken office, we would be at war with Putin. If you can't see that bi-tch is evil, something is wrong with you.

I don't think you read my post, I'm well aware of whom you support. FYI supporting a candidate to screw the system over (which was a big part of trump's platform) does indeed make you an anarchist. You can be in denial, but it's obvious. He has essentially appointed the worst people to every government agency possible. I shouldn't have to point out that most of them have sued or have opinions directly contradictory to the posts they now hold.

On Putin, yes I'm sure Trump sucking Putin off while he takes America's Global leadership position is such a great idea. LOL, no and thank god someone like John F. Kennedy had the balls to stand up. Freedom isn't free, you have to constantly fight for it.

 

[wiyosaya]

I am a Trump supporter. You know why? It has nothing to do with Trump. No way in hell did I want Hillary in office. So I'm proud of the fact Trump is in office. I only wish we had a better option to vote for, then and only then would I support someone else. If you don't like it, I'm sorry, you do however need to get over it.

The ironic thing about this is that these are, essentially, Trump's words about Hillary.

Countless, costly investigations of Hillary by those not in her political party have found nothing that is chargeable. Personally, I think that speaks to Trump's words about Hillary very effectively.

If Hillary's opposing political party cannot find a single thing to charge her with, then what does that say about Trump's accusations? Lies, maybe? Diversion from his own missteps? Time will tell, just as Pai is bounding on the edge of illegal actions with his stance on NN and the upcoming "vote" on it.

 

[senketsu]

I am a Trump supporter. You know why? It has nothing to do with Trump. No way in hell did I want Hillary in office. So I'm proud of the fact Trump is in office. I only wish we had a better option to vote for, then and only then would I support someone else. If you don't like it, I'm sorry, you do however need to get over it.

The ironic thing about this is that these are, essentially, Trump's words about Hillary.

Countless, costly investigations of Hillary by those not in her political party have found nothing that is chargeable. Personally, I think that speaks to Trump's words about Hillary very effectively.

If Hillary's opposing political party cannot find a single thing to charge her with, then what does that say about Trump's accusations? Lies, maybe? Diversion from his own missteps? Time will tell, just as Pai is bounding on the edge of illegal actions with his stance on NN and the upcoming "vote" on it.

actually (remember, I'm not in the USA or an American citizen) I recall there were several items that were 'chargeable' (sorry, not a lawyer either). Hillary has been in government a long, long time, plus then there is Bill Clinton and his many friends. That means she wields a lot of clout even if not in office. Just the classified info sent thru her personal e-mail server would have gotten you or me in front of a judge.