The goal of an ISP or a broadband provider is to get as many subscribers as possible. It's not to try to annihilate consumer interests.
Michael O'Rielly
Human rights are standards of behavior that are inherent in every human being. They are the core principles underpinning human interaction in society. These include liberty, due process or justice, and freedom of religious beliefs. I find little sympathy with efforts to try to equate Internet access with these higher, fundamental concepts.
I have seen throughout my professional career that the robust exchange of ideas and bipartisan compromises can bring about the best policy results.
I think there are ramifications for having rules when you don't have a problem.
Ideally, the ITU must be made up of truly visionary leaders - those willing to do the hard work to get critical spectrum bands realigned and put to their highest use.
Both Republicans and Democrats championed a structure that allowed the 'application layer' of Internet architecture to be free from government intervention, apart from occasional Federal Trade Commission activity.
Arguably, the application of complete libertarianism leads one towards anarchy.
It is important to note that Internet access is not a necessity in the day-to-day lives of Americans and doesn't even come close to the threshold to be considered a basic human right.
From commercial companies to political campaigns, advertising dollars are increasingly being spent on the web, rather than on traditional media. Jeopardize this arrangement and a vast number of free Internet features and functions will evaporate in short order.
I have no interest in interfering or involving myself in journalistic integrity or process.
It is both impractical and very harmful for each state to enact differing and conflicting privacy burdens on broadband providers, many of which serve multiple states, if not the entire country.
I'm for Internet openness. We're all for Internet openness. If you asked the American people, I think they support it. Internet companies, broadband companies are all in favor of it.
While repealing net neutrality rules grabs headlines... net neutrality started as a consumer issue but soon became a stepping stone to impose vastly more common carrier regulation on broadband companies.
In reality, anyone can call themselves a conservative. There is no secret handshake or written test to prove your bona fides. But the true conservative reaches outcomes by respecting and heeding to well-developed, sound principles.
Unlike government entities, the private sector has the technical knowhow and experience to build and operate complex communications systems.
I view edge providers as a significant bright spot in our struggling economy. They are tirelessly innovating, growing, and meeting - often exceeding - consumer expectations.
While I originally sought broader reforms to the Kid Vid regulations, what we have ended up with is a reasoned and balanced compromise. In the end, this effort takes modest but important steps toward a freer television market, and it's a deal for which nearly all sides can claim some measure of victory, especially the children.
Fundamentally, our broadband policy has been and should continue to be based on private sector companies continuing to build out their networks to meet consumer needs.
Erasing the ALJ process, even if it takes legislation, will not deny anyone due individual process, generate added litigation risks or substantially increase workloads for commissioners or staff.
In the end, I am confident that we can revise our rules to provide necessary and appropriate flexibility for local broadcasters while preserving and/or improving the experience of those watching children's programming.
Everyone should acknowledge a simple truth: The heart and soul of today's Internet economy is the collection of data, mainly for use in targeted advertising.
Instead of fostering investment and innovation through deregulation, the FCC will be devoting its resources to adopting new rules without any evidence that consumers are unable to access the content of their choice.
If any company goes and does something stupid, the market is going to address that, and the rest of the industry is going to go and address that and say that is not accepted behavior, that is not an accepted practice, and it will self-correct.
To say that Wi-Fi is a critical component of Internet access in today's always-connected society doesn't do it justice.
It takes time and effort to soldier on and make your arguments.
No, we didn't 'slash' children's programming or eviscerate our rules by creating loopholes to allow those inclined to avoid airing any kids' programming at all, as some have asserted.
Some may try to argue that conservatism and libertarianism are contradictory perspectives. But I disagree.
Gone are the days when everyone had to tune in at the same time and channel each week to watch the newest episodes of a favorite show.
Importantly, while PBS is subject to some of the Commission's Kid Vid rules, its business model is designed around community programming, and its efforts will continue with or without Commission mandates.
Repeat after me. 'Robocall' is not a bad word.
I think what we can do is make sure as conservatives that we elect good people to both the House, the Senate, and make sure that President Trump gets re-elected.
Despite the intended purpose of 911 fees, some states have diverted these resources to nonrelated or, worse yet, nonpublic safety purposes.
I think net neutrality needs to be explored in a broader sense.
The legend of a cable company trying to break the Internet makes scary bedtime stories for children of telecom geeks, but it is not reality.
I've always said that anytime Congress can provide us direction and answer the question of how they would like the commission to implement something, then I am totally supportive.
The Federal Communications Commission, where I have the pleasure of serving, generally has done a good job of providing an environment for Wi-Fi to flourish in the U.S.
People can and do live without Internet access, and many lead very successful lives.
I can assure you that the United States intends to pursue the best course of action to meet its own spectrum needs.
One of the best ways to realize Wi-Fi's impact is to imagine life without it.
Conservative beliefs are not based on personal whims or feelings or polls but rather anchored in defensible core, time-tested positions. It's what makes a conservative somewhat boring compared to the liberal, independent, or populist.
Federal law, implemented by the Federal Communications Commission, helped kill network broadcasts of Scooby-Doo, Bugs Bunny and their modern equivalents, while effectively issuing do-not-resuscitate orders for classics like 'In the News.'
To be sure, educational programming likely benefits some of the children who seek it out, particularly those whose families can't afford the myriad options available today on cable or Netflix.
Net neutrality rules have been premised on the incentives and ability of ISPs to engage in harmful conduct, not actual harms. I don't believe we should be regulating based on hypothetical problems.
Fundamentally, adopting rules without any estimate of the impact is the height of arbitrary decision-making.
Notably, the FCC fact sheet regarding the net neutrality plan does not mention any accommodations for small providers.
I know that there is a near unanimous view in Congress that state or local taxes on Internet access would directly deter the ability of consumers to obtain and utilize the Internet. If that is an accepted premise, as it should be, the same concept should apply to the net neutrality debate and its certainty to increase consumer bills.
The use of automated technology generally translates into lower costs, freeing up resources for more efficient uses, including lower prices.
Quite simply, when D.C. Metro riders - often the first to see a problem developing - try to notify first responders, they frequently are unable to receive a signal strong enough to make a simple call to 9-1-1 to report the emergency.
First, a company cannot knowingly make misrepresentations and inaccurate statements before the Commission... It appears that Netflix made accusations of wrongdoing by ISPs, all the while knowing that its own practices were one of the causes of consumer video downgrading.
We owe it to consumers to treat their dollars with respect and to double- and triple-check our assumptions about complex marketplaces rather than getting locked into a regulatory tunnel vision that will ultimately leave consumers with fewer, more expensive choices.
