Regulating the Internet: How Much Is Too Much?
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On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, guest host Sara Terry leads a debate over "net neutrality," the idea that Internet providers should treat all sources of data equally so that consumers can control what they view and use on the web. Do new federal regulations achieve that goal? In the twenty years since the internet first became a household term, has it accomplished what technology visionaries said it would? Also, sewage spills pollute the California coast after recent storms, and at the Supreme Court the liberal wing is coming back to life, thanks to President Obama's two new appointees to the bench.
Banner image: This December 9, 2010 photo shows a screensaver from the whistle-blower website Wikileaks. After taking down the websites of Visa, Mastercard and others, WikiLeaks' supporters threatened to knock Amazon.com offline as part of what they are calling 'Operation Payback.' Photo: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images
Making News
Sewage Spills Pollute the Coast after Storms ()
As Southern California braces for more wet weather late tonight, some areas along the coast are still trying to clean up after last week’s storms. Heavy runoff ruptured sewer mains and disabled pumps, spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of waste into the ocean. Several beaches in Orange County and San Diego now remain closed. Tony Barboza covers beaches and coasts for the Los Angeles Times.
Guests:
- Tony Barboza: Reporter, Los Angeles Times
Main Topic
Regulating the Internet: How Much Is Too Much? ()
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission adopted its first-ever regulations for the Internet, rules meant to ensure equal access to the flow of cyberspace. But the new rules are already being criticized for not going far enough. "Net neutrality" may prove to be an elusive goal, just as many of the other promises of the Internet age have failed to be fully realized. Do we need more regulation of the Internet or less? Has the web really allowed democracy to flourish around the world or have repressive governments turned it to their advantage? Two decades on, has the Internet lived up to early hopes that it would be a force for good?
Guests:
- Brian Stelter: Reporter, New York Times
- Evgeny Morozov: Visiting Scholar, Stanford University, @evgenymorozov
- Andrew Rasiej: Founder, Personal Democracy Forum
- James Lewis: Director, CSIS's Commission on Cybersecurity, @james_a_lewis
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Reporter's Notebook
New Justices Change the Flavor of the Supreme Court ()
At the US Supreme Court, President Obama's two appointees are changing the tone of courtroom debates. Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan have re-energized the left wing during their first year on the bench, giving oral arguments a liberal twist that hasn't been heard in years in a court where conservative voices have dominated the debate for most of the last twenty years. David Savage covers the Supreme Court for the Los Angeles Times.
Guests:
- David Savage: Reporter, Los Angeles Times, @latimes
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Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
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