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Can the FCC Regulate the Internet?

December 24, 2010

The central legal question of the FCC’s new net neutrality rules is whether or not the Commission even has the authority to regulate the internet, which is classified as an information service. Net neutrality advocates wanted the web to be reclassified as a telecommunication service before any new rules were made so the FCC would have more power to regulate it. Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps voted for the new regulation, but says he has reservations about its legal foundation.

On Christmas Eve, Copps delivered a welcome message about the need for consumer protections in Internet service and the limits of market-only solutions. Too bad he couldn’t also stuff stronger #NetNeutrality protection in the stocking

Very witty “bent objects” from artist Terry Border. These are two of my favorites. See more at Gradient Magazine.

Ends with an irresponsibly uncritical rosy forecast, but so does “A Christmas Carol” and I love that too. I’m gonna hunt down more of this series…

Claire Boonstra is one of the co-founders of LayAR, the Amsterdam-based Augmented Reality company that has a platform for publishing user-created AR content on on mobile phones. The Designers for Humanity team used LayAR for our tour of City Heights in San DIego.