cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/19935121
FCC ends affordable internet program due to lack of funds | CNN Business
cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/19935121
FCC ends affordable internet program due to lack of funds | CNN Business
The government can’t really force a company to accept certain customers for free without micromanaging their business. It could also be illegal .
They should just create a tax on the wealthier internet users to be able to afford to do this. The only way to do this would be to have a lowest-class free tier, a middle class discount tier, and then anyone else pays a lot tier. It would be too hard to make the wealthy verify income just for internet access. Also, middle class people who didn’t need the discount wouldn’t apply for it or verify income. This would have the same effect and would likely not be illegal.
Sure it can, when the company in question is a regulated monopoly (as broadband ISPs very much are).
If the government tells a company “you’re going to take these customers, like it or not” it may result in expensive and time consuming legal challenges that the government may lose. There are checks and balances in the US at least.
I’m not sure you appreciate how old and well-established the government’s right to regulate de-jure monopoly utility companies actually is.
You’re probably right about this if you are certain I am wrong. I haven’t researched any laws on this, so perhaps there wouldn’t be long expensive annoying legal challenges that could be bypassed by crafting the law differently and it would be easier to be more direct.