Slashdot: FCC to regulate internet and home computers

[Melodybe]

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/16/0518234

[annabanana]

1. "kind of scary" indeed.....

I think we need to develop a system of smoke signals, quilts, petticoats and carrier pidgeons.........

[billyoc]

2. Nice knowing you all, if you ever get to Hell's Kitchen, look me up.

I'll be the on at the "Coffee Pot" at 49th and 9th. Big guy, long hair, beard, crying. :cry:

[democracy eh]

3. text

from the linked
FCC clarifies that they do, in fact, control everything
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20041115-4402.html

The FCC's brief, filed in response to PK's challenge to FCC's jurisdiction in the flag matter, is breathtaking. FCC's position is that its Act gives it regulatory power over all instrumentalities, facilities, and apparatus "associated with the overall circuit of messages sent and received" via all interstate radio and wire communication. That's quite a claim.

The scope of such a claim is immense, reaching people's PCs and any other conceivable digital television consumption device. Unfortunately, it's evident that much of the FCC's latest legislation (and hubris) comes at the behest of the larger players in the content production industry, which doesn't bode well for consumers. The trifecta of increasingly draconian copyright restriction, combined with the new ability (via the DMCA) of private entities to effectively set their own copyright rules outside scope of the law, and an FCC that thinks it controls as much as it does, create a harsh environment for smaller companies and consumers. Indeed, the FCC's dismissal of 70 years of procedures reflects the potential problems we could face in near future:

[annabanana]

How long do we have before we're effectively muzzled?

a year.......two?
Can we hold out until the '06 elections?

[RyomaSakamoto]

5. The trifecta

"I remember -- I remember campaigning in Chicago, and one of the reporters said, would you ever deficit spend? I said only -- only in times of war, in times of economic insecurity as a result of a recession, or in times of national emergency. Never did I dream we'd have a trifecta. (Laughter.)"
(President Discusses Importance of Homeland Security Department June 7, 2002)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020607-4.html

http://news.globalfreepress.com/mp3/trifecta.mp3

guess the phrase 'hav'ta go UNDERGROUND' won't be a quaint metaphor anymore :scared:

[mpanno]

4. They can't burn books so they do this instead

This is scary. Maybe the war crimes investigations that are starting will be able to get rid of the shrubco regime before this bullshit goes any further... I can dream anyway... It was nice knowing you all. If you're ever in Chicago, look me up!

[RyomaSakamoto]

8. when they made the guy who authorized torture the head of 'JUSTICE'

they gave a deadly serious signal to the rest of the world... cheney probably had a good knee slapper laugh that landed him in the hospital over the weekend :argh:

[dweller]

6. you mean they are not already?

suprises me.

dp

[fshrink]

7. That amounts to pushing people towards

actual underground activities.

[democracy eh]

9. control of cyberspace, where have I heard that before... oh yeah PNAC

I am not a tinfoil hatter, but why is it so coincidental that everything with Bushco goes back to PNAC?
consider the current FCC discussions the "consideration of a host of legal, moral and political issues" cited in the document.

http://newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf
excerpts from page 57
Cyberpace, or ‘Net-War’

"...And as with space, access to and use of cyberspace and the Internet are emerging elements in global commerce, politics and power. Any nation wishing to assert itself globally must take account of this other new “global commons.”"

"Although many concepts of “cyber-war” have elements of science fiction about them, and the role of the Defense Department in establishing “control,” or even what “security” on the Internet means, requires a consideration of a host of legal, moral and political issues, there nonetheless will remain an imperative to be able to deny America and its allies' enemies the ability to disrupt or paralyze either the military's or the commercial sector's computer networks. Conversely, an offensive capability could offer America's military and political leaders an invaluable tool in disabling an adversary in a decisive manner."

:mad:

[berni_mccoy]

10. Time to really start using RSA strong encryption

on every message. And discussion board storage will need to be distributed across different machines... in encrypted format.

Be careful what you keep on your PCs. With this they could seize your hard drive and who knows what they'll dig up on it.

[RyomaSakamoto]

15. i've been working on a secure email server

it's easy to use and will encrypt all your msg right within the email client at the bush of a button ;->

[MadHound]

11. Well, I guess we go back to using dial up BBS

Slower, less sophisticated, won't give one the sense of how numerous we are, but it will keep the information flowing. I think my old Mac still has the old BBS software on it, guess I'll have to get it out, dust it off and get it up and running.

[CatWoman]

12. how many threads are you going to post on this???

[RyomaSakamoto]

16. as many as it takes, i hope! psst... pass the word ;->

[CatWoman]

19. there's a word for this: SPAMMING

And it is against the rules here.

one can get the word out without posting the same thread over and over in the same forum.

it's fucking annoying.

[RyomaSakamoto]

20. BY-ANY-MEANS-NECESSARY

(the board has been having problems, chill)

[CatWoman]

21. you really need to take your own advice

[RyomaSakamoto]

22. lol

[0007]

13. Wow! I'm stunned but not surprised.

I hope this is just talk and a scare thingy.

[Condor]

14. Internet will remain

It will just be a way of communicating for the rest of the world, for everyone except the US, kinda like the UN is now.

[sherilocks]

17. This is something in a legal brief for

the Respondents in a court case. Something to keep an eye out for, but far from being enacted into law. The brief is 55 pages long, if you want to read it.

http://scrawford.net/courses/04-1037%20(Amer.Lib.)%20FCC%20Brief.pdf

I hope this link gets you there.

[mogster]

18. This is a part of it all

Didn't we see this coming, folks?

The Internet is the last place free for all; cheap, democratic and pluralistic.

Seen from a non-demcratic, fundamentalist point of view, the Internet must pose a grave threat to the society of 'order, but not justice', allowing for free speech, international exchange and globalism.

Example:
Who am I?
Answer 1: A foreigner out to stir up trouble in the US
Answer 2: Just another person from the global community itching to be informed, exchange views and meet Americans.

The interpretation of which answer to support is entirely up to the person looking at the situation:

Person A: Sees free speech as a threat because he doesn't respect your right to it (and just don't see the point of it anyway). Subsequently any uncontrolled interaction between us Europeans and you Americans will be seen as a possible 'contamination' of your minds. Not exactly flattering, but hey - that's how the Republican leadership sees their own electorate: True Christians that need to be protected against the influence of Satan. Or Old Europe, Democrat Liberalism or the evil, evil World at Large - it goes for the same these days ;-)

Person B: Sees free speech not as a threat, but as an asset. Another opinion, another possibility for inspiration (and friendship).

What would you do if you woke up one morning and the Internet was switched off?
Where would your political network be? Your source of information?
I would go hacking freaking mad, because the Internet is the last frontier of public space that isn't controlled (although watched) by any governmental agency.

Sure they would see this and do something about it to stop the democratic movement of the Center/Left in it's tracks.