[mc32]

Would you mind commenting on these findings? They seem to have found that both sides have been stuffing the ballot box: http://www.emprata.com/reports/fcc-restoring-internet-freedo...

Also, can you work on net neutrality for all bits? That is Google, Facebook, Twitter, as the main gateways to public discourse treat all comments equally without promoting one viewpoint over another that does not enjoy elite sanction?

What good is NN as it stands if edge providers can treat bits differently?

Basically NN says all bits _allowed_ to get to you by edge providers shall be treated the same, but it does not say edge providers have to allow all bits on their systems.

Thanks.

[AGSchneiderman]

I’m glad you asked – this report is really telling. It’s been reported that this study was paid for by Broadband for America, which counts many big ISPs as members. Yet even this study found massive flaws in the comments, including about 8 million comments using made-up identities. Also revealing, is its findings about the approximately 1.5 million comments that were personalized, meaning someone felt so strongly about the issue they went to the extra trouble to write a unique comment themselves (versus, say, signing a petition – which is certainly valid but less labor-intensive). Of those 1.5 million personalized comments, 98.5% were pro-neutrality.

[mc32]

Thank you for responding.

I think those numbers point to their study attempting to be open about their findings, despite being commissioned by ISPs. However concerning is they found quite a few faked email addresses with foreign domains --people who even if real should have little to say how we govern our telecoms.

Nonetheless my question remains concerning the virtual triumvirate controlling what is acceptable and non acceptable public opinion, given they are the new voice of the hoi polloi. We have to find a way to ensure people's right to voice an opinion isn't virtually infringed by having a de facto triumvirate establishing what is and isn't accepted as public discourse, given they have very specific corporate agenda which could run counter to public opinion.

[avs733]

both paragraphs are whataboutism. The first talks about comment content which the AG did not reference. The second talks about an entirely irrelevant issue and tries to shift the definition of a term to something broader that clouds discussion.

[mc32]

I would disagree. The first says that there is a concern both sides engaged in ballot stuffing while AG seems concerned by a single sides PoV.

The other more importantly is concerned with guaranteeing a triumvirate of gatekeepers doesn't guide discourse in one direction or the other.

[rgbrenner]

Your link says a lot of form letters were submitted. That's not the issue. There's nothing wrong with submitting a form letter with your name attached to it.

The issue is using someone elses name and information to submit a comment -- ie: identity theft.

Form letters and identity theft are not equivalent. One is an easy way to submit a comment. The other is illegal.

[mc32]

While troubling, i think this is more aptly described as impersonation. Theft implies direct benefit to the thief.

[robotblake]

Anecdotally, my name and an old (albeit valid) address was used in two comments supporting repeal that I did not submit. That is to say, comments that the Emprata analysis would view as "valid" but most definitely were not.

[matt4077]

Net Neutrality has a specific meaning, and is supposed to protect against one specific mechanism that would undercut the internet's openness.

The fear of Non-Net-Neutrality goes far beyond the usual "there's only two ISPs where I life and they both offer the same deals".

It's something in completely its own category of nefariousness because they could be as anticompetitive as they want, and the market could not solve it.

That's because the injured party isn't their customers, who could take their business elsewhere, or at least loudly complain on the internet (if they have any).

It's someone not part to the ISP<->customer contract, namely that unknown video startup in Nantucket, or the e2e-encrpyted messenger app your friend Lauren is working on. They're going to be forced into paying ISPs if they ever want to reach the ISPs' customers. And there's no risk to the ISP, because nobody is going to change ISPs for some startup they've never heard about.

The result could be ISPs capturing almost every cent of value created by new startups. We will also have a fractured internet, because small companies will have to negotiate contracts with every single ISP. Also want to reach those 500,000 people in eastern Montana? That'll cost you $2,000 per week.

Anyone not living on the US coasts, and people in other countries, will constantly run into "HTTP Error 469: go suck a bag of.."

[GeneralMayhem]

>They seem to have found that both sides have been stuffing the ballot box

That's not entirely clear from that source. And even if it were, that's reason to try something different to solicit public feedback, not to go ahead with whatever the telcos say to do.

> That is Google, Facebook, Twitter, as the main gateways to public discourse treat all comments equally without promoting one viewpoint over another that does not enjoy elite sanction?

This has nothing to do with net neutrality. NN is about your right to transmit information over the internet, not your right to have someone else transmit it for you. If you want to talk about regulations on big content providers, fine, but it's totally irrelevant to the discussion at hand.

>What good is NN as it stands if edge providers can treat bits differently?

NN is not about edge providers. It's about not allowing middlemen to use their natural-monopoly power to censor edge providers.