No, I read the headline, which is supposed to be a summary of the article. The FCC did in fact tell everyone that the Internet in the US is fast enough and that they don’t have to fund or push for any more improvements in the US.
Here is the whole article for anyone that is curious, since this guy is being a dick.
::: spoiler Article
The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that America’s Internet is officially fast enough, scrapping its long-term goal of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload speeds after realizing that expecting broadband to improve was deeply unfair to technologies that cannot.
The FCC argued that the gigabit target wasn’t sufficiently “technologically neutral,” since slower options like satellite, fixed wireless, and Morse code might struggle to reach it, embracing the revolutionary regulatory principle that when newer technology dramatically outperforms older technology, the responsible thing to do is lower the standard until everybody gets a participation trophy.
“Morse code just can’t go at gigabit speeds, so we should probably cancel fiber technology altogether,” explained one fictional FCC policy adviser. “You can’t claim to support innovation and then cruelly expect older technology to improve.”
Under the FCC’s new Nobody Gets Left Behind Because Nobody Goes Forward initiative, broadband infrastructure regulations will be gradually eliminated and replaced with a much simpler standard: if an Internet connection eventually loads a website, it is broadband.
Officials stressed that this will dramatically expand high-speed Internet access on paper.
“If someone in rural America is getting 12 Mbps, we could spend billions bringing fiber to their house,” an FCC spokesperson explained. “Or we could simply stop describing 12 Mbps as slow. The second option is considerably cheaper.”
AOL immediately began exploring a dial-up comeback, while several telecom companies reportedly discovered warehouses full of DSL equipment and quietly began printing brochures describing it as “Retro Broadband.”
Online commenter ChucklesLord strongly supported the decision, arguing that modern Internet contains entirely too much information.
“Video has too many pixels now,” he wrote. “I liked it better when my porn was fuzzy because the Internet couldn’t keep up. It leaves something to the imagination.”
When other commenters pointed out that he could simply lower the video quality, zoom out, or watch older low-resolution videos, ChucklesLord dismissed all three suggestions.
“I don’t like doing that,” he replied. “Therefore the world needs to change.”
The comment was subsequently cited by telecommunications lobbyists as the strongest evidence yet of shifting consumer preferences.
International reaction was less supportive.
Across Europe and Asia, broadband executives reportedly gathered around 10-gigabit connections to watch the announcement, briefly pausing their enormous downloads so everyone could laugh in unison.
Bookies overseas have already begun taking bets on how American capitalism will monetize the FCC’s breakthrough, with the current favorite being a new generation of plans offering half the speed for twice the price, plus a $14.99 monthly “High-Speed Technology Access Fee.”
FCC officials rejected criticism that America was deliberately lowering its ambitions.
“We’re not falling behind,” one official clarified. “We’ve simply stopped measuring how far ahead everyone else is.”
Telecom executives praised the decision, assuring customers that abandoning speed targets would have absolutely no effect on their commitment to raising prices.
:::
Honestly, I'd like the current speed, but with dial-up levels of complexity to set it up. I'm fully up for gatekeeping the internet from people without technical skills
I tend to agree with this joke FCC. The internet is fast enough in most places. My cable company kept trying to sell me a faster package and I didn't really think I'd notice the difference.
What needs to happen is: rural areas need better broadband, and prices need to come down--both things that would be helped along greatly if internet were regulated as the utility it is.
28 replies
Not sure how this is an “onion” story. This is pretty much what actually happened.
This is just what the OP considers to be "satire". He will argue it to death if confronted.
Claiming something is or isn’t an onion story without reading the story is certainly a choice
Did you read the article?
No, I read the headline, which is supposed to be a summary of the article. The FCC did in fact tell everyone that the Internet in the US is fast enough and that they don’t have to fund or push for any more improvements in the US.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/fcc-abolishes-gigabit-speed-goal-suggesting-it-is-unfair-to-slower-technologies/
Shocker. Perhaps reading the article would provide you with more entertainment.
If you still don’t like it, we suggest you block this account so you won’t be disappointed again.
That’s what we intend to do with your account after this message.
Perhaps writing headlines that are actual satire would stop people from constantly telling you that your headlines suck as satire.
Sounds great.
Here is the whole article for anyone that is curious, since this guy is being a dick.
::: spoiler Article The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that America’s Internet is officially fast enough, scrapping its long-term goal of 1 Gbps download and 500 Mbps upload speeds after realizing that expecting broadband to improve was deeply unfair to technologies that cannot.
The FCC argued that the gigabit target wasn’t sufficiently “technologically neutral,” since slower options like satellite, fixed wireless, and Morse code might struggle to reach it, embracing the revolutionary regulatory principle that when newer technology dramatically outperforms older technology, the responsible thing to do is lower the standard until everybody gets a participation trophy.
“Morse code just can’t go at gigabit speeds, so we should probably cancel fiber technology altogether,” explained one fictional FCC policy adviser. “You can’t claim to support innovation and then cruelly expect older technology to improve.”
Under the FCC’s new Nobody Gets Left Behind Because Nobody Goes Forward initiative, broadband infrastructure regulations will be gradually eliminated and replaced with a much simpler standard: if an Internet connection eventually loads a website, it is broadband.
Officials stressed that this will dramatically expand high-speed Internet access on paper.
“If someone in rural America is getting 12 Mbps, we could spend billions bringing fiber to their house,” an FCC spokesperson explained. “Or we could simply stop describing 12 Mbps as slow. The second option is considerably cheaper.”
AOL immediately began exploring a dial-up comeback, while several telecom companies reportedly discovered warehouses full of DSL equipment and quietly began printing brochures describing it as “Retro Broadband.”
Online commenter ChucklesLord strongly supported the decision, arguing that modern Internet contains entirely too much information.
“Video has too many pixels now,” he wrote. “I liked it better when my porn was fuzzy because the Internet couldn’t keep up. It leaves something to the imagination.”
When other commenters pointed out that he could simply lower the video quality, zoom out, or watch older low-resolution videos, ChucklesLord dismissed all three suggestions.
“I don’t like doing that,” he replied. “Therefore the world needs to change.”
The comment was subsequently cited by telecommunications lobbyists as the strongest evidence yet of shifting consumer preferences.
International reaction was less supportive.
Across Europe and Asia, broadband executives reportedly gathered around 10-gigabit connections to watch the announcement, briefly pausing their enormous downloads so everyone could laugh in unison.
Bookies overseas have already begun taking bets on how American capitalism will monetize the FCC’s breakthrough, with the current favorite being a new generation of plans offering half the speed for twice the price, plus a $14.99 monthly “High-Speed Technology Access Fee.”
FCC officials rejected criticism that America was deliberately lowering its ambitions.
“We’re not falling behind,” one official clarified. “We’ve simply stopped measuring how far ahead everyone else is.”
Telecom executives praised the decision, assuring customers that abandoning speed targets would have absolutely no effect on their commitment to raising prices. :::
TLDR yes the article is satire
It's very bad parody, not really satire.
You could just click the link. There is no tracking, or ads.
I did, and I don't see how what reddig33 said in any way conflicts with your satire. I'm not really sure why you replied at all.
Wrong sub, this is for nottheonion as this is actual reality
Did you read the article text?
I mean, I sometimes think that the world would be better if computing and bandwidth speeds stopped getting faster in 1999.
I’d be down to go back to 1999.
Honestly, I'd like the current speed, but with dial-up levels of complexity to set it up. I'm fully up for gatekeeping the internet from people without technical skills
Oh wait, you're serious. Let me laugh even harder.
I tend to agree with this joke FCC. The internet is fast enough in most places. My cable company kept trying to sell me a faster package and I didn't really think I'd notice the difference.
What needs to happen is: rural areas need better broadband, and prices need to come down--both things that would be helped along greatly if internet were regulated as the utility it is.
Cable? So its capped at 30mbs up... atleast thats what Spectrum here caps at.
It was the cheapest-ass internet they would agree to sell me and I never ran into trouble streaming at 1080p or getting my torrents quickly.
By streaming, do you mean watching a stream? Or being a streamer. Because those are very different requirements.
Ah, yes, referring to streaming on the downlink, watching netflix, etc.
If we reduce everyone to 56k modem speeds, then rural areas will become faster by comparison.
LMBO almost at the onion on this one
Except this actually happened.
The FCC did say this, though with slightly-but-not-much more realistic arguments.