As Xi Tightens His Grip on China, U.S. Sees Conflict Ahead
By MARK LANDLER
Whether it is saber-rattling in the South China Sea, proselytizing on American campuses or censorship of the web, China has alienated one constituency after another.
The FCC voted today to adopt net neutrality rules to "protect the open internet." If you're still not quite sure what that means, we got your back:
http://n.pr/1AwMW8v
The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote on whether to...
By a 3-2 vote, the FCC votes to adopt net neutrality rules to "protect the open Internet."
Our original post continues:
Here's a guide to what all of this means.
— What does net neutrality mean?
Here's the Cliffs Notes version from NPR's Elise Hu:
"Net neutrality is the concept that your Internet provider should be a neutral gateway to everything on the Internet, not a gatekeeper deciding to load some sites slower than others or impose fees for faster service."
In other words, it's a concept in which Internet service providers (ISPs) don't discriminate when it comes to Internet traffic.
Without net neutrality rules, ISPs could theoretically take money from companies like Netflix or Amazon to speed up traffic to their sites.
"More than 30 percent of Internet traffic at peak times comes from Netflix, according to studies. So Verizon might say, 'Netflix, you need to pay us more.' Or maybe Verizon strikes a deal with Amazon and says your prime video service can get speedier delivery to the home and we're going to slow down Netflix."
— What is the FCC voting on?
The Federal Communications Commission is voting on whether to reclassify broadband access as a "telecommunications service under Title II."
In layman's terms, the FCC is looking to reclassify broadband as a utility, which would give the commission more regulatory power over Internet providers.
— What prompted this FCC vote?
The court, however, said that the FCC could reclassify broadband and that would give it broad regulatory powers.
— What would the proposed rules do?
The proposed rules are pretty lengthy, but
from an FCC fact sheet, here are the three things that the rules would ban that matter most to consumers:
"No Blocking: broadband providers may not block access to legal content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
"No Throttling: broadband providers may not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
"No Paid Prioritization: broadband providers may not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful traffic in exchange for consideration — in other words, no 'fast lanes.' This rule also bans ISPs from prioritizing content and services of their affiliates."
— What does John Oliver have to do with all this?
The comedian John Oliver brought this issue to the forefront when he dedicated 14 minutes on his program to explain why net neutrality is so important.
He called on his viewers to write to the FCC to encourage them to adopt new rules. His call — and the enormous response —
broke the commission's website.
A bunch of big Internet sites — Netflix, Etsy and Foursquare among them — joined the chorus in September when they took part in "Internet Slowdown Day,"
presenting their users with symbolic loading icons "to remind everyone what an Internet without net neutrality would look like."
— When is the FCC voting?
2009.9.22
Net Neutrality Speech Draws Strong Reactions
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced proposed net-neutrality rules to a standing-room-only crowd of telecom geeks, giddy consumer advocates and glum industry lobbyists Monday.
This is often channelled into Buddhist philanthropy, which troubles receiving countries less than the proselytising zeal that comes attached to some brands of Christian charity. Paradoxically, Taiwan's diplomatic isolation helps: its aid agencies can plead
neutrality in countries such as Myanmar.
neutral
ADJECTIVE
1Not supporting or helping either side in a conflict, disagreement, etc.; impartial:neutral and non-aligned European nations
1.1Belonging to an impartial group or state:the trial should be held on neutral ground
2Having no strongly marked or positive characteristics or features:her tone was neutral, devoid of sentiment
2.1Of or denoting a pale grey, cream, or beige colour:walls are painted in neutral tones
3Chemistry Neither acid nor alkaline; having a pH of about 7:a neutral solutionneutral soil conditions
4Having neither a positive nor negative electrical charge:live and neutral contacts on plugs
NOUN
1An impartial or unbiased state or person:Sweden and its fellow neutralsI attended the Cup Final as a neutral
2[MASS NOUN] Pale grey, cream, or beige:classic shades of navy, white, and neutral
3[MASS NOUN] A disengaged position of gears in which the engine is disconnected from the driven parts:she slipped the gear into neutral
4An electrically neutral point, terminal, conductor, or wire.
Derivatives
neutrally
Pronunciation: /ˈnjuːtrəli/
-
Origin
Late Middle English (as a noun): from Latin
neutralis 'of neuter gender', from Latin
neuter(see neuter).
proselytize, UK USUALLY proselytise
verb [I] FORMAL DISAPPROVING
to try to persuade someone to change their religious or political beliefs or their way of living to your own:
He was also remarkable for the proselytizing zeal with which he wrote his political pamphlets.
The television has provided the evangelists with yet another platform for their proselytizing.
