• scoobford
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    2 months ago

    I have complicated feelings on this. On one hand, I believe internet access, like all utilities should be affordable, if not considered an entitlement.

    On the other hand, this is just a subsidy program. The government is indirectly forking out cash to ISPs in a way that temporarily helps poorer customers. To be blunt, I find the idea of giving an industry as notoriously corrupt as telecom more government money to be insane. There should be price caps.

    • melpomenesclevage@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      no fuck price caps

      if theres a government, they should just be the network.

      its not like the isp’s dont immediately hand every packet over to the NSA anyway.

    • mox@lemmy.sdf.orgOP
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      2 months ago

      Indeed, we should regulate the prices of necessary utilities, and internet has become one even if it’s not officially recognized as such. That alone wouldn’t be enough to cover people with the lowest of incomes, though.

      The program discussed here does cap the subsidy, and at least some (maybe all?) internet providers that accept it now have service plans that stay within that amount. The result is effectively a price cap for people who are eligible.