Porn-Free Free Internet Plan Dumped By FCC; Score One For The Good Guys

A bit of good news from the FCC...it seems that we may get truly free Internet after all, without those nasty porn filters getting in the way.

The story from Ars Technica:

Kevin Martin, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, called Ars Technica today to let us know that he has revised his proposal to roll out a free (and smut-free) wireless broadband service. In an effort to corral more votes, Martin has already circulated a new version of the plan, one that removes the controversial smut filtering requirement.

Why the change? "I'm saying if this is a problem for people, let's take it away," Martin said. "A lot of public interest advocates have said they would support this, but we're concerned about the filter. Well, now there's an item in front of the Commissioners and it no longer has the filter. And I've already voted for it without the filter now. So it's already got one vote."

"Got anybody else?" I asked him.

"Not yet," Martin admitted with a chuckle. Then he expressed a bit of impatience with his four colleagues. "This is an item that has been pending at the Commission for several years, that the Commissioners were originally critical of not having moved forward faster," he said. "Other Commissioners said, 'We're overdue; we've got to do this.' But when an actual item is put forth where you have to make a hard decision, they say, 'Well, I'm not so sure what I want to do anymore'."

So...what happened in the intern that forced Martin to drop the porn filters?? Well, there was the strong opposition from various civil liberties and public interest groups, covalesed around the group Center for Democracy and Technology, who called the proposed porn filters a back door gateway to censorship. There was also the strong objection from existing wireless Internet providers who complained mostly about the competition that the "free but porn-free" service would bring to their own services, and about the possibility of interference with their own wireless channels. And then, there was the gripping that the auctioning off of the spectrum would have been designed as to favor one company -- M2Z Networks, whom had first offered to build the first wireless network, but without any public bidding. (Strangely enough, that brought out the ire of even conservative Republicans, who would usually be running over themselves to support a censored Internet medium, but nevertheless back the notion of "free markets" rather than government regulation setting the standard.)

The most intriguing and possibly exciting news, however, is that Martin is still proposing that a free wireless Internet service be implemented, but without the filters and with more open access/net neutrality requirements. The basic speed offered would be modest (768kbps), but under the rule proposed, the winning bidder would be forced to allow any device or application to be connected to the network, and there would be timetables for getting access available to end users (50% within 4 years; 95% by the end of the 10-year license period).

For a person like me who is tired of paying through the nose for Internet service, this is excellent news indeed. Anything that challenges the current cable/DSL/satellite monopoly and brings Internet access closer to the majority of people is a good thing. Though, I'd prefer a higher floor for basic speed (like, maybe, 2 to 3 gpbs) and stronger protections against interference and reliability of signal.

At least someone out there gets it about the First Amendment and free speech. Take that, Andy Burham, and just cram your censorship proposal right up your New Right Laborite ass. It just doesn't play here.