[TriLUG] Internet Neutrality

[Brian via TriLUG]

On 09/08/2017 02:19 PM, Tadd Torborg via TriLUG wrote:
> I think we engineering types need to come up with a protocol or
> mechanism that either
>
> 1. makes the net neutral

I wish, but whoever controls the pipes controls the Internet.  Someone 
comes up with a protocol that bypasses non-neutral ISP behavior?  Just 
block that protocol at the nearest DMARC/whatever and call it a day.

>
> or
>
> 2. exposes the lack of neutrality.

The only thing that occurs to me, which would be immune from ISP 
meddling, would be keeping extensive client-side records of bandwidth 
per host.  That could expose patterns which would imply non-neutral ISP 
behavior; however, whether or not even gigabytes of that kind of 
evidence would lead to any sort of action against ISPs would remain to 
be seen.  Even then, without legislative and judicial support, such 
evidence wouldn't amount to a hill of beans for effecting any change. 
Internet access has almost reached necessity-of-living status; how many 
Americans would actually be willing to go without internet access for 
months or years in order to apply market pressure under the current 
monopoly structures?  Probably not enough to matter.

-B