FCC: The Internet should be for five-year-olds

The FCC is considering a proposed new rule to require licensees of the 2155-2180 MHz band to dedicate a portion of its network capacity to making broadband Internet access available for free.

However, there's a catch: the licensee has to filter out "inappropriate content." And what is that, you ask? A few things to note from proposed Section 27.1193, Content Network Filtering Requirement:

(a) The rules requires blocking "images and text that constitute obscenity or pornography." Note the "and pornography," which seeks to expand the scope of the prohibition beyond what is obscene.

(b) The licensee must also block "any images or text that otherwise would be harmful to teens and adolescents," i.e., "children five through 17 years of age." Yes, that's right--the FCC wants to make the five-year-old mind the regulatory standard for internet content, which I guess would make this the golden age for poop jokes.

(c) Per proposed section 27.1193(b), these rules also apply to material transmitted via peer-to-peer file sharing--and if the license finds it impractical to review every file shared, it has the right to "use other means, such as limiting access to those types of communications." In other words, because people can use P2P and other modes of transmitting data to provide access to material not suitable for a five-year-old, an ISP has the right to shut 'em down.

Needless to say, these rules would affect far more than obscenity and kiddie porn. Web comics, Flickr, Youtube, Hulu--shoot, this effin' blog would pretty much be toast.