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Net Neutrality in the Shower

2010-05-03 · explainer · Hank · 3:59 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Internet & YouTube (also: Personal life) · mode: Advocacy & fundraising · tags: civic or action cta

Hank, using his shower as the internet, argues for net neutrality: if telecoms may throttle content (BitTorrent first, then YouTube in favour of their own video), they will, killing the open, innovative internet; he asks viewers to read up at savetheinternet.com.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Dad's 60th birthday, which Hank pretends not to make a big deal of; Dad really wants a video on net neutrality

  • ★★ It is the brothers' dad's 60th birthday; Hank teases that he won't mention I Love Lucy, the lack of silicon transistors, or that both sons will soon be over 30. (playful) — 00:00:00 · Mike Green

00:00:29 — The shower as the internet: ISPs deliver everything at full speed, but if everyone uses it they must invest, cutting profits

  • ★★ Using his shower as the internet, Hank explains that internet providers send you whatever you want at the highest speed your plan allows. — 00:00:29
  • ★★★ Hank says if everyone uses their 'information showers' at once, telecoms might be unable to deliver what they promised; getting more bandwidth costs money and cuts into their profits. (hedged) — 00:00:58

00:01:27 — Telecoms throttle BitTorrent (85% of bandwidth); not their job to enforce the law; next they would throttle YouTube and favour Comcast video

  • ★★★ Hank says the telecoms found that 85% of bandwidth is taken up by BitTorrent, and decided to throttle it since those users are breaking the law anyway. — 00:01:27
  • ★★★ Hank argues it is not the telecom companies' job to enforce the law, and that we should not make it their job. (hedged) — 00:01:57
  • ★★★ Hank imagines that when bandwidth runs short again telecoms would cut the next biggest user, probably YouTube, while Comcast.com's videos come in faster than ever. (hypothetical, hedged) — 00:01:57 · YouTube

00:02:27 — Net neutrality defined; if legal, ISPs will throttle, killing YouTube and the next great thing; infinite crap is hope

  • ★★★ Hank defines net neutrality as internet providers not deciding what content you get at what speeds; they shouldn't throttle YouTube, boost Comcast, or gouge content creators. — 00:02:27 · YouTube

    “Net neutrality is the concept that internet service providers cannot decide what content I get at what speeds.”

  • ★★★ Hank predicts that if ISPs are legally able to do this they will, killing not just YouTube but the next amazing thing with enormous economic potential. — 00:02:27 · YouTube

  • ★★★ Hank says that next thing won't exist because they will have killed the open and innovative nature of the internet. — 00:03:13
  • ★★ Hank says instead of infinite variety we'd get a finite amount of crap, which is just crap; an infinite amount of crap is hope, where some of it sticks. (playful) — 00:03:13

00:03:38 — Go to savetheinternet.com and take part in the debate; sign-off soaking wet

  • ★★★ Hank asks viewers to go to savetheinternet.com, read up on net neutrality, and be educated and participating in the debate. — 00:03:38

Humor (significant)

  • Hank says Dad doesn't want a big deal made of turning 60. — 00:00:00

    “So I won't be talking about how when he was born the most popular television show was I Love Lucy.”

  • Mid-rant about Comcast video, the shower water changes temperature on Hank. — 00:02:27

    “That was cold and hot. Very cold and then very hot.”

  • Hank contrasts the internet's infinite variety of crap with a finite amount, which is just crap. — 00:03:13

    “Whereas an infinite amount of crap is hope.”

  • Signing off after the whole video under the shower. — 00:03:38

    “I think I'm just gonna take a shower now because I'm soaking wet.”

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: internet service provider · Net neutrality

Also: People: Mike Green

Works: I Love Lucy

Organizations: Comcast · Save the Internet · Vonage · YouTube

Concepts: copyright · giraffe

Products: BitTorrent · Xbox Live

Also centred on internet service provider: Hank vs. Hank: The Net Neutrality Debate in 3 Minutes

Also centred on Net neutrality: Hank vs. Hank: The Net Neutrality Debate in 3 Minutes · WE WON! Net Neutrality and Re-Thinking Cynicism · Trump, Guns, and Net Neutrality...With Governor Steve Bullock?!

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