President-elect Barack Obama's choice to head the Federal Communications Commission seems like a win for gamers and online businesses, among others.
As Ars Technica reports, Julius Genachowski (left) is a proponent of Net Neutrality (and if you're not sure why that's important to gamers check out the ECA's Gamers For Net Neutrality advocacy page). Genachowski is also said to be against media consolidation.
Ars Technica quotes Josh Silver of media reform group Free Press on Genachowski:
Under Julius Genachowski's leadership, the FCC's compass would point toward the public interest.
Meanwhile, Steve Augustino, a Washington, D.C. attorney who works with Net Neutrality issues, praised Genachowski:
Genachowski was a senior advisor to former FCC chairman Reed Hundt in the 1990s and went on to an Internet business career afterward. He was leading Obama's Technology Working Group prior to this designation. This is very good news for Internet-based businesses. The FCC will have a chair that understands your issues.
FULL DISCLOSURE DEPT: The ECA is the parent company of GamePolitics.
Comments
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Exactly. I'm generally against the government sticking its nose into stuff, but I think this is one thing they should be getting involved in. The government isn't supposed to tell people how to run their businesses or their lives, but it is supposed to protect its citizens and their rights. Stopping ISPs from ripping off and abusing consumers falls under protecting the citizens and their rights. The government might actually be doing its job for once.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Ya i find that odd too. American Gov't was supposed to be of the people, by the people, and for the people. Not that that's the way its turned out perfectly so far but we shouldn't assume everything is going to get screwed up just cause the gov't touched it O.o
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Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Lately, though, it has seemed more like "American Government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations"
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
That's why we keep throwing federal money at failing auto companies and giving cash to banks so they can buy each other out instead of fixing the mortgage crisis like they're supposed to be doing.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Exactly.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
The consumer could change things without the governments help, but of course we have to take the easy route and rely on the government to do everything.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
The whole issue is, the government's already screwed it up.
We can either change the legislation our government enforces like the dumb machine it is, or we can get ran over by the machine. Burying your head in the sand about this will just mean you're at the mercy of everyone else.
The government is a public forum, join it and stop complaining.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
I find it hard to agree with you. The basis of net neutrality is the prevention of ISPs limiting customers access to the net. Simple as that. Gov't regulation is the 'easy route' i agree but I want the easy route. I don't want to have to fight my ISP. Comcast already got slapped for doing funky crap and they have plans for more stringent control of your internet access.
I can't see where internet access required to be untouched by your ISP could be a bad thing.
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Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Thats super. And maybe he could also do something about those pesky cable companies using the switch to digital as a means to charge consumers more....pweeese? T_T
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
yarly, the whole mandated switch to digital broadcasts shouldn't suddenly up the cost of everything. Most cable companies already offer digital signals so they can offer interactive content and such. bleh! drop cable, get dish network, i hate DTV too ever since the mass extortion thing they did back in 2003ish, or was it 2004?
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Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Not if the cable company forces people to switch to digital cable in a way that they either get the logic of "Well then drop from our service if you have a problem with it."
I understand that the analog service is going to be gone soon but why should I pay more? I should get the new service at the same damn price. Not pay more for something I was forced to switch into.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Nice change.
Certain groups iwll only care about how easily they can intimidate him.
Re: Obama's Choice to Chair FCC is Net Neutrality Advocate
Now that is good news, not just from a gamer perspective, but from an overall financial perspective in my opinion, the freedom of large industry to operate with an almost carte-blanche is part of the problems we are now all paying for, turning the focus back onto the consumer could well be a good financial move.