Net Neutrality

As an Internet  user, I see Net Neutrality as providing end-to-end service without restrictions or discrimination. “Consumers of all stripes can decide which services they want to use and the companies they trust to provide them. In addition, if you're an entrepreneur with a big idea, you can launch your service online and instantly connect to an audience of billions. You don't need advance permission to use the network. At the same time, network providers are free to develop new applications, either on their own or in collaboration with others.” (Schmidt and McAdam) As summed up by Vint Cerf (one of the founders of the Internet), “The issue is nondiscrimination against applications and against consumer choice.”

from Jeff Turner
http://interstream.com/files/content_images/Diambig_Net_Neutrality_0.png

Whitt enumerates the issue in terms of: a “nondiscrimination principle that bans prioritizing Internet traffic based on the ownership (the who), the source (the what) of the content or application”; a "transparency principle that ensures all users have clear information about broadband providers' offerings”; and “openness protections to both wireline and wireless broadband infrastructure.”

In the FCC’s Open Internet Proceeding Report and Order, the Commission attempted to “preserve the Internet as an open platform for innovation, investment, job creation, economic growth, competition, and free expression” by adopting “three basic rules that are grounded in broadly accepted Internet norms.” These are:

1. Transparency (broadband providers should disclose their network  management practices, performance characteristics, and terms and conditions of their services);
2. No blocking (broadband providers may not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices; and may not block lawful websites, or block applications that compete with their voice or video telephony services); and
3. No unreasonable discrimination (broadband providers may not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic).

Application of these three rules in conjunction with “reasonable network management will empower and protect consumers and innovators while helping ensure that the Internet continues to flourish, with robust private investment and rapid innovation at both the core and the edge of the network.”

According to Candeub and McCartney, “The FCC's proceedings, and the network neutrality debate, concentrate on two economic questions: (1) whether to broadband service providers can or will steer traffic to affiliated content limiting consumer access, and (2) how to preserve the Internet's capacity for creativity and innovation.” They feel that the issue involves three aspects:

1. providers selecting where and how to offer Internet access; 
2. providers selecting a QoS (Quality of Service) policy classifying traffic; and 
3. providers selecting network connections and offering limiting ToS (Terms of Service). 

from "Law and the Open Internet" p.522

These authors also stress that “Internet users use different services on the Internet (VoIP, browsers, file sharing and so on) in different proportions.”

“The argument for net neutrality naturally segued into a discussion of free competition and antitrust legislations. Many economists, legislators, and industry experts warned that unless the Internet were assured a state of neutrality, situations would arise where companies could establish unfair barriers to entry for competitors by creating agreements with Internet providers or telecommunications companies, or such companies might merge entirely to form monopolistic entities.” (Global E-Commerce Regulation, 333)

But back to me, the Internet user. Net Neutrality means that I can access a variety of applications from a variety of devices and view a variety of content types without being barred by my ISP and, in addition,without having to pay additional charges based upon the source.

Works Cited:

Candeub, Adam, and Daniel McCartney. "Law and the Open Internet." Federal Communications Law Journal 64 May (2012): 493-548. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/pubs/v64/no3/Vol.64-3_2012-May_Art.-02_Candeub.pdf>.

“Global E-Commerce Regulation.” Gale Encyclopedia of E-Commerce. 2nd ed. v.1. Detroit: Gale, 2012. 331-34. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 11 Sept. 2012.

Kang, Cecilia. "My chat with Google's Vint Cerf." The Washington Post. N.p., 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2009/10/vint_cerf_googles_chief_intern.html>.

"Preserving the Open Internet, Broadband Industry Practices." Federal Communications Commission. FCC 10-201 Report and Order, 25 F.C.C.R. 17905 , 4 Feb. 2011. Web. 23  Sept. 2012.   <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-201A1.pdf>.

Schmidt, Eric and and Lowell McAdam. “Finding Common Ground on an Open Internet.” Google Public Policy Blog. N.p., 21 Oct. 2009. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. < http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2009/10/finding-common-ground-on-open-internet.html>.

Turner, Jeff. "Net Neutrality: Practical or Political?." Interstream, 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 25 September 2012. <http://interstream.com/blog/jeff/16-feb-2010>.
Whitt, Rick. "Hey FCC, Keep the Internet Open -- and Awesome!" Google Public Policy Blog. N.p., 14 Jan. 2010. Web. 11 Sept. 2012. <http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2010/01/hey-fcc-keep-internet-open-and-awesome.html>.

Abraham Hyatt “15 Facts About Net Neutrality.” Aug. 20, 2010. http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/15_facts_about_net_neutrality_infographic.php