Net Neutrality? Well… If the end of funding for climate change studies doesn’t mean anything to internet users, perhaps President-elect Trump may give them a very good reason to worry.
It’s no secret that Trump is no friend of net neutrality. In a video message, the newly elected President of the United States, Donald Trump, outlined the actions he will take in his first 100 days in the White House, saying that on his first day in office, the United States will withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
It is an ambitious and controversial international trade agreement, desired by 12 countries, which together cover 40% of the global economy.
Now, regarding net neutrality. Today, the President reportedly dashed any hope for net neutrality by announcing the appointment of two individuals who have long been declared opponents of net neutrality, and the FCC: Jeffrey Eisenbach and Mark Jamison.
Eisenbach is a former FTC employee who has been involved in several think tanks that vocally oppose the FCC's current net neutrality guidelines. He's the same guy who once tried to convince us that handing over ISPs would lead to more innovation.
Jamison is a former lobbyist and current consultant for Sprint. Mr. Jamison had stated:
[talks about net neutrality and says it is] a growing pile of regulations that often work to the detriment of businesses and consumers.
Both are now scholars at the American Enterprise Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. Both are also consultants and, some argue, lobbyists, which conflicts with Trump's speeches that have said he would eliminate lobbyists and special interest consultants from Washington.
A quick look at the first group that Trump wants by his side shows that those he wanted to get rid of are still there, and in key positions.
Either way, it seems that net neutrality is in its final days.
Today we have a Republican congress that desperately wanted to strike down the net neutrality guidelines that the FCC issued last year – and would have done so if they hadn't feared a veto from Obama.
We have a president-elect who is openly hostile to the whole idea.
Add in the two henchmen the president's first team acquired and you'll see how real the prospect of an internet now openly dominated by corporations and governments is.
