Posts Tagged ‘netflix’

#Netflix is Representing the People in the War versus Telcom Greed

Posted: September 4, 2014 in Anarchy Journal Constitutional
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by @anarchyroll
9/3/2014

The war for the future of the internet is being waged now, in real-time by lobbyists of the big US Telcom companies.

If this were a court case, then apparently the people who don’t work for Comcast, Time Warner, and Verizon would be represented by Netflix.

Now of course Netflix is publicly and privately battling the nation’s broadband providers for their own personal gain as well. There is no such thing as a free lunch after all, especially when millions, upon billions of dollars are involved.

However, Netflix has now officially earned some benefit of the doubt for reasons other than how good House of Cards and Orange is the New Black are. Netflix has taken three public steps that directly help the consumers:

  1. Opposing the proposed merger between Comcast and Time Warner
  2. Lobbying to maintain Net Neutrality
  3. Campaigning for Municipal Broadband

Netflix may be looking out for its own bottom line. But each stance that they have publicly come out in favor of or against directly benefits working class people who use the internet. Coming out against the proposed merger which would create a broadband monopoly, is a good thing for consumers. Drawing attention to net neutrality is good for consumers. Encouraging the development of municipal broadband is good for consumers.

In the fight against the billion dollar companies who want complete control of the internet, the common people need someone with deep pockets in our corner. Netflix has repeatedly stepped up to the plate publicly this year alone. They’re not a non-profit or NGO. But when billion dollar corporations are doing everything they can to reduce choice and increase cost to access the information superhighway, we the consumers will take help anywhere we can get it. I for one, will take the million dollar company that brought Arrested Development back, in my corner any day of the week.

#CISA, the New #CISPA Attempted In Secret shows #HouseofCards is Non Fiction

Posted: July 18, 2014 in Anarchy Journal Constitutional
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by @anarchyroll
7/17/2014

I recently starting watching the Netflix original program House of Cards. It is a fictional show, but the more and more I watch it, the more and more it feels like a psuedo documentary of Washington D.C politics in the dark and behind the doors. The controversial and shady manner of how CISPA has been repackaged as CISA and is being attempted to be rushed through Congress reaks Frank Underwood.

Last year, when CISPA was brought to light, the public and (all) the tech companies went very politely apeshit. If you don’t know what CISPA is and couldn’t be bothered to click on the link above, it basically puts the NSA on steroids and makes the steroids legal.

CISPA =  The End of Privacy

The public has made it clear they do not want this legislation. Google, Reddit, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter, and basically every other big company that makes money through the internet informed the public about the negative privacy implications of CISPA and the public let it known they wanted the bill killed/stalled/not to become law of the land. The tech companies then did what is really required to pass or kill legislation, used millions of dollars to fund lobbyists.

Much like in House of Cards, now that the first bill has been killed in the court of public opinion, the real bill is going to be attempted to be crafted and passed behind the closed Congressional doors.

Now CISA is heading to the Senate floor, after being rushed through committee, so it can be quickly voted on before the current Congressional session expires. American politics mixed with American ingenuity, if at first you don’t succeed at an agenda with shady politics,  try and try again.

 

#Internet Access No Longer Neutral?

Posted: January 24, 2014 in Anarchy Journal Constitutional, Excess and Algorithms
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eanda logo

by @anarchyroll
1/23/2014

The first YouTube video I ever watched was of Ted Kennedy speaking about the importance of net neutrality.  As I learned what net neutrality was through the video, it surprised me someone of Kennedy’s age had any grasp on the concept. But then I realized that net neutrality had nothing to do with technology and everything to do with money and power.  And the Kennedy family knows a lot about money and power.

Net Neutrality means that the internet like highways, an information superhighway if you will.  Highways are built and maintained based on tolls.  Much like internet infrastructure is built, upgraded, and maintained by the monthly bill you get from your internet service provider (ISP for short).  Nothing wrong there. Food, water, shelter, heating all cost money. Net neutrality is NOT about making the internet free of charge.

Net neutrality means that all data on the internet is treated the same. Checking email is the same as binge watching Netflix. Regardless of specific content OR bandwidth usage.  Net neutrality is currently the norm for the internet you and I access from our computers, NOT from our smart phones.

Anti net neutrality advocates aka the telecomm companies and ISPs want all internet to be priced like smart phone internet access aka tiered by usage.

Pro net neutrality advocates aka anyone who isn’t rich as fuck, want to make sure the ISPs and telecoms don’t gain any additional power over the internet and its content. Why? Because absolute power corrupts absolutely.  It is feared/believed that if a tier based charging system will be a floodgate to a labyrinth of tiered charges or a slippery slope.

Like how anti drug advocates say marijuana is a slippery slope to cocaine, heroin, homelessness, prostitution, robbery, prison, and spending $800 to attend an EDM concert.  Pro net neutrality advocates believe tiered service is a slippery slope to customers being price gauged AND denied content. Not only will you be charged for certain amount of usage but you’ll be charged more to access Hulu, OR less depending on what ISP you have. If you have Comcast (who is part owner of Hulu) they might allow Hulu to load faster and cheaper on your computer but charge you more and/or completely block you from accessing Netflix, YouTube, etc.

Ask yourself, do you really believe if net neutrality is taken off the books permanently, will ISPs not charge more for service? Will they not cut deals with certain content providers? Will they not nickel and dime you, me, and every internet user in the world a little bit more every single year? Even more so than they do already that is, how much was your internet and cable bill ten years ago?  Think it’s only increased because of inflation?

The end of net neutrality is literally the end of the internet as we know it. Plain and simple.  This is a fight you can’t choose to ignore. Sign a petition, write a letter, attend a protest.  Because if you ever want to watch cute cat videos for hours at a time again, for what you’re paying now, then net neutrality is for you.