Worst Agency the FCC: Chairman Ajit Pai's Fair, Open, and Internet Access Hatred

Look at Net Neutrality repeal keeping this analogy in mind

(As if it were your monthly water bill)

Russia big winner with the FCC’s recent ruling to throw out Net Neutrality.

That FCC rule repealed is here.

Now, how all that ties into this recent Trump DOJ and FCC request to the USSC to keep their repeal in place and active.

With the repeal of net neutrality, ISP’s can and will be the only gate-keeper on speed and access to certain parts of the Internet (and for higher prices, too) and therefore easily control access for higher speeds, avenues, etc. which Net Neutrality guaranteed for all people – taking that away does the opposite – it plays favors for pay.

Those mechanisms could be misused if they fell victim to a cyber-attack.

Former Director of Great Britain’s GCHQ (its equivalent of the NSA) said: “The key issue is transparency. We are already struggling to understand foreign political manipulation of Internet content…Without greater compulsory transparency, the end of net neutrality will now allow hostile foreign states new avenues to spend their way into silencing or overriding opposing views.”

A cyber-attack on a major ISP could potentially turn users towards or away from certain information, or shut them out of the information space all together. The future implications of such are frightening.

Open sourcing is one of the best ways to keep the Internet secure from nefarious interests. Traditional hawks might look at the problem and suggest tighter restrictions on information. Such an argument is often used when referencing extremist propaganda found online.

Furthermore, closing the Internet as Russia and China have done is a way to insulate them from political influence campaigns.

Trump himself said during the campaign that he would call Bill Gates and ask to turn off the Internet. This line got laughs from technically literate people, but it is an echo of ideas shared by autocrats around the world.

Key Part: Take public utilities which have evolved over time. But, when electricity was first distributed, it was a novelty and a luxury. Today, the electrical grid is regulated for consumer protection, and is seen as one of the most critical infrastructures to protect from foreign attack. As for the Internet – it is no longer a novelty or luxury. It is the primary method of information exchange, and should be protected as well.

Without protections our country and our democratic process remain frighteningly vulnerable, and that is why the Net Neutrality repeal was another win for Russia’s information warriors. Their interest is not so much in the outcome as it is in the confusion. In all likelihood, Net Neutrality will be drowned out of the news cycle by the impending tax bill vote, or some major development on the Russia investigation.

FCC Democrat commissioner Mignon Clyburn alluded to this in her vote not to repeal and in her dissent when she said publicly: “What we have wrought well one day be apparent by them when you really see what has changed. I fear it may not only be too late to do anything about it, but also because there will be no agency empowered to address your concerns.”

My 2 cents and the bottom line on this latest: The confused and soon-to-forget nature of stories like this are what make Russian influence operations so successful and net neutrality is just another notch on the belt for the Kremlin.

How ironic is that turn of events? And, just in time for the 2018 midterms and big one in 2020: The re-run of Trump II.

Pretty sad isn’t – and I bet you never even thought of this angle?

Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by.