NET NEUTRALITY: WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!

Net Neutrality: Why it’s important to online media

In the earliest days of the Internet, absolute freedom was considered inherent to the system. The term network neutrality, or net neutrality, had yet to be coined because its properties were so central to the mere existence of the World Wide Web and its future iterations that the need to define them seemed moot. Times changed, however, and the protocol initially developed to enable scientists to easily share information to develop innovations now enables the world’s citizens to share information to develop coalitions.

With that growth and development came corporate greed and the seeming need to control information. High speed Internet services encouraged users to transfer many of their offline hobbies online, and that encourage the some of the providers of those high speed services to limit access in an effort to return users to the offline alternatives. Online media remains one of the most often attacked areas by high speed carriers while showing some of the greatest development potential for users.

What is net neutrality?

The concept of communications neutrality goes back to the days of the telegraph when telegrams were routed neutrally, without attempting to discern their contents or preference the order of communication. Net neutrality refers to a principle applied to the network that comprises the World Wide Web that it remains free of restrictions on all aspects, specifically including equipment, modes of communication, content, sites, and platforms, and where competing communication streams are not purposely degraded by one another.

"The Internet was designed with no gatekeepers over new content or services. A lightweight but enforceable neutrality rule is needed to ensure that the Internet continues to thrive," Vint Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet Protocol, said in an interview in The Official Google Blog. (The Official Google Blog, August 11, 2005)

How does it impact online media?

In the early 2000s, as broadband services became more prevalent, the clash between advocates of net neutrality and broadband providers intensified as providers evidenced the capability and willingness to use "last mile" infrastructure to block Internet applications and content providers they opposed. The blocked Web sites, services, and protocols were often those owned and served by competitors. More recently, the blocked services have included peer-to-peer sharing services, such as BitTorrent and Lime Wire.

Oddly, one of the U.S. federal agency with jurisdiction in this area, the Federal Trade Commission, continues to hesitate to take decisive action. In a June 2007 report, the FTC stated that given no "significant market failure or demonstrated consumer harm from conduct by broadband providers" it "may well have adverse effects on consumer welfare, despite the good intentions of their proponents" to create a regulation guaranteeing net neutrality. (FTC Staff Report, June 2007)

However, many argue that the market failures are already occurring. Broadband giant Comcast faces accusations of traffic blockage of BitTorrent file sharing traffic which it denies. Cable giant Cox’s blocking of LimeWire file sharing traffic is so well known among the application’s users that its codified in the application’s online FAQ.

While the FTC is reticent, the U.S. Congress is embattled. Every net neutrality bill to appear in Congress has died, but those that make it to a vote have been close. In general, Democrats favor guaranteeing neutrality, while Republicans oppose it. The Comcast accusations renewed the spotlight on the issue and in April the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing entitled "The Future of the Internet." (CNET, April 22, 2008)

While blocking content creates a hidden control on information exchange, some broadband companies are looking at more obvious ways to control information – increased fees based upon usage. Both Time Warner and AT&T are considering a per gigabyte system, although Time Warner is further along in the process. It’s already tested the new pricing structure in Beaumont, TX. The new structure has no unlimited use plan.

The largest plan at just more than $50 provides only 40 GB of access with a per charge for every GB of excess access. As WXP News pointed out, since one two hour HDTV movie equals 14 GB, watching only one movie per week online would cause one to exceed their plan by 16 GB, and still need to purchase more access in order to complete mundane but necessary tasks, such as checking e-mail. (WXP News, June 17, 2008)

Conclusion

The inherence of net neutrality no longer exists. The introduction of corporate presence to the Internet not only helped build it, but now may tear it down, as well. It is imperative that every user of the WWW familiarize themselves with the issue of net neutrality because it impacts their day to day online life, and will continue to do so.

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This post guest-blogged by Carlie Lawson...