FCC Chair To Push For Free, Porn-Free National Internet

Silicon Alley Insider:

During the FCC's December meeting, chair Kevin Martin plans to push for a free, but porn-free Internet service that would be available to all Americans. Reports the Wall Street Journal:

The proposal to allow a no-smut, free wireless Internet service is part of a proposal to auction off a chunk of airwaves. The winning bidder would be required to set aside a quarter of the airwaves for a free Internet service. The winner could establish a paid service that would have a fast wireless Internet connection. The free service could be slower and would be required to filter out pornography and other material not suitable for children. The FCC's proposal mirrors a plan offered by M2Z Networks Inc., a start-up backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers partner John Doerr.

Read the whole story: Silicon Alley Insider

Comments

[Mnemanth]

If there are restrictions, then it's not free. Pretty simple.
Like drugs, like booze, like anything else in our country's history that the self described "right" have tried to prohibit...
PROHIBITION DOESN'T WORK!
What an idiot.

[Sammy00400]

You should go learn about receiving television over the air. Oh and it has many restrictions. But then perhaps you have had cable all your life so never had to use an antenna.

[DuPageDem]

Hey everybody! Look over here at this shiny gilttery happy object in my hand! Never mind that with the other, I'm giving away public bandwith to yet another transnational media conglomerate! Oh, and that thing about content -- don't worry, you'll still be able to access all the hate and violence you want!

[JScott]

Sounds too complicated and probably violates the constitution. And why oh why was all the folks who control those things thought the .xxx and the .adu domains were a bad idea-that seems so much better. Let's home the next pres. admin. has a clue and comes up with something better.

[Takae]

The constitution? The article seems to imply that it's a free service for anyone who wants the porn-free version of the internet. In other words, you don't have to sign up for it if you don't want it.

I want to know whose definition of pornography will they use? Assuming that the target market is children under 16 -- if nudity is considered pornographic, how would it affect online art galleries and similar? To be honest, I don't see how they can block sexually graphic images on non-pornographic sites, such as livejournal, MySpace and other social networking and blog communities. :/

[MagisterLudi]

Well, they just want to create a Disneyfied ghetto.
OK Corral for the squeamish and politically correct.

[ggmome]

Has the persons in this Administration gotten the memo? THEY LOST THE ELECTION! Don't try to do what you messed up royally for the last 8 years!

[jdw1981]

So you have to disguise the word "porn" to comment on an article that has "porn" in its headline? HuffPo should rethink its filters. Anyway... bad, terrible idea. Attacks on free speech in general always start out as attacks on "pornography". I'll pay for my internet, thank you.

[ScoutandBuckGoodDogs]

Is that the picture of the guy who wants to take po.rn away? UM.. need I say more? What a dork! He needs to lay off the Star Trek memorabilia collector conventions and look up some porn. Non-Klingon por.n, that is.

[Palemoon]

That's a very bad analogy. I'm a trekkie and I know alot of trekkies who are into porn. And look at how it was the original Star Trek that gave us the very first interracial kiss, either in television or porn. Some could argue that led to an untold amount of interracial sex. Plus, look at half the cast and their names evoking imagery, lol. Dr. Beverly Crusher, hmmm, what's up with a name like that for a fiery redhead? And wasn't 7 of 9 practically nude during her entire run on Star Trek: Voyager? And what about the sexual tension between Capt. Janeway and 7 of 9?

Methinks you've never watched Star Trek and think that all nerdy people think about is math or science class. Actually, we're dreaming up ways to make sex better while trying to bring this country out of the puritan age.

[stepintothelight]

Try it with another person ... It's already much better that way!!!

7 of 9 was great but Jolene Blalock .... TPal .....drool drool ... get me a towell!!!

[LeaveArtieAlone]

Yep, Holodecks would be AWESOME on so many levels!

Off topic, I always thought there was sexual tension b/w Chakotay and Janeway and a mother daughter thing with 7 of 9. OH well we all have our theories. :-)

[OkieIntellectual]

Okay I realize this kid is pretty young, but he can't seriously think that something like this is going to fly. If the government wants to provide free Internet access to everyone that is one thing, but they do not get to violate the 1st Ammendment in the process. It seems to me that Mr. Martin is a holdover from the Bush administration, and he really needs to go away.

[DrDemon]

E*X*A*C*T*L*Y !

[scoochman]

This is the BEST news I have heard in a looooooong time! I am far from being a conservative or a pr ude, but I am s.i.ck of how men only relate to women today as walking p.orn images. I know one man who told me that whenever he meets a new woman - a REAL woman - the first thing he does is "rate" her in comparison to his favorite p.orn girls. P.orn has removed a man's ability to relate to women in a spiritual way in favor of a basic, self centered, instant gratification kind of way.

Too many men sit on the computer for HOURS on end watching p.orn and ignoring their own wives and not spending quality time with their children - just ask Agent Mulder about that. The eradication of first, internet p.orn, and then p.orn altogether is the first step in creating a better society where women are seen as actual humans instead of nothing more than body parts for a man's pleasure only.

[DrDemon]

"Too many men sit on the computer for HOURS on end watching p.orn and ignoring their own wives and not spending quality time with their children".

TOO BAD! The wives should have known who they were marrying!

Don't try eliminating MY RIGHTS because of some "horny hubbie" and he "relates" to women!

Maybe the family you are relating to should try "family counseling", but I"M NOT MARRIED so leave me and my porn ALONE!

[editorjuno]

Lame duck posturing. Savvy porn collectors don't visit and download from websites anyway -- like so much else, such stuff changes hands via peer-to-peer transfers that afaik have proven very difficult for ISPs to restrict.

[DrDemon]

YES...

--- > No Porn Sites = No Religion Sites!

[Palemoon]

Funny you say that. But if you type in the word "bondage", you'll get millions of church, or religious websites.

[ScoutandBuckGoodDogs]

Um are we China now? Minus the factories though b/c that'd actually give people jobs.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

So I STILL have to pay for porn? Sheesh.

[gypsysoul111]

how about providing a no-popup, no spamming, no phishing internet?!?!?

instead of porn-free, why not have a rating system for each site published? letting each individual choose which levels are allowed on their internet devices.

[gmlaster]

Or maybe a no virus internet? The rating system has worked very well for television and music CDs. I don't see why it can't be applied to internet, at least to businesses publishing sites using American web hosts. You should write into change.gov and suggest it to Obama's people.

[naturallight]

How are Republicans gonna look at Child Porn? Or Militarystud.com (jeff gannon anyone?)

This makes no sense.

[nycelite]

They won't use the free service, but will rather just continue to pay for internet access.

[firelord5000]

Oh hi big brother, please don't take my porn away!