Is this the end of net neutrality? Edited, as I needed some time to contemplate.Not necessarily...

Is this the end of net neutrality? 

Edited, as I needed some time to contemplate.

Not necessarily. What today's ruling says is basically this:

"You were stupid to not to treat broadband providers as common carriers years ago, FCC. And since you didn't, that means you can't enforce important things, like non-discrimination. So technically, Verizon wins.

At least until you get your shit together and reclassify internet access so we can enforce neutrality, you idiots you."

So if the FCC doesn't act (and they say they will) or the politicians find away to gut the new rules (and I'm not sure what role they play), we could have a more defensible system in the near(?) future. 

And here's what I originally wrote:

Today the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with carrier Verizon, effectively shutting down net neutrality and opening the door for "preferred access" of the web.

Yeah... this sucks.

Oddly enough. there wasn't a lot of commotion on the topic in the weeks and months leading to this decision. Nothing like the SOPA outcry. Maybe we're just numb.

Here's to hoping the FCC can quickly adapt, or innovation may suffer.

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