User:Ericendlich/Sandbox
Net Neutrality
The principle of equal treatment of traffic, called "Net Neutrality" by proponents, is not enshrined in law but supported by some regulations. Most of the debate around the issue has centered on tentative plans, now postponed, by large Internet carriers to offer preferential treatment of traffic from certain content providers for a fee. [1]
Proposed Policies
- Google and Verizon announced that the two companies had reached an agreement on a policy proposal surrounding net neutrality. The agreement states networks should be transparent about how they manage traffic and that they cannot degrade traffic or provide paid prioritization to any service on the public Internet. The policy does leave room for providers like Verizon to create additional, differentiated online services. [2]
Legal Situation
FCC Appeals
- Verizon Communications filed an appeal against the FCC in the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit on January 20, 2011. The FCC's rules aim to prevent Internet service providers from blocking certain websites or applications. Verizon's appeal claims that the FCC has overstepped its authority and that the rules violate the company's constitutional rights. The company says that the net neutrality rules modify the terms of existing licenses held by Verizon. Rather than launching a lawsuit that directly challenges the regulations, the company is appealing the rules as an illegal change to their existing licenses. [3]
Advantages to Data Discrimination
While the basic principal of data discrimination is censorship, those in favor of this practice claim that there are benefits. The ISPs are a business, and as such, “…correctly state that external, non-market driven constraints on their ability to price discriminate can adversely impact their incentive to invest in broadband infrastructure and their ability to recoup that investment.” (Frieden) [4] There are times when it could make sense, in the eyes of the ISPs, to give preference to one type of content over another. For example, loading a plain text and image website is not nearly as strenuous as loading sites such as Hulu and YouTube. Frieden states that, “Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) seek to diversify the Internet by prioritizing bitstreams and by offering different quality of service guarantees. To some observers this strategy constitutes harmful discrimination that violates a tradition of network neutrality in the switching, routing and transmission of Internet traffic.” (Frieden)
- ^ "Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic". The Washington Post. 2010-19-10. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Google And Verizon Unveil Proposed Net-Neutrality Policy". National Public Radio. 2010-09-08. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
- ^ "Verizon's Net Neutrality Challenge Claims It Violates Their Licenses". TalkingPointsMemo.com. 2011-21-01. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Frieden, R (2008). "A Primer on Network Neutrality". Intereconomics (43): 4–15.
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