Joho the Blog
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April 22, 2006
Net neutrality (formerly known as the end-to-end principle) means that the people who provide connections to the Internet don't get to favor some bits over others. This principle is not only under attack, it's about to be regulated out of existence. Here's why it matters: Innovation. Innovation on the Internet happens in Internet time because bits flow freely. A good idea can compete even if it comes from a kid in a garage because the kid doesn't have to ask permission and doesn't have to raise enough capital to make sure his bits are moving as quickly and reliably as everyone else's. If the carriers are allowed to charge for speedy and reliable delivery, the people most affected will be the beginners and the garage shops. Open markets. In a non-neutral environment, carriers can provide incentives for using one service and disincentives for using others. For example, Shaw (a major Canadian cableco) offers its own Internet telephone service, but charges users $10/month to use anyone else's. The dominant — and frequently monopolistic — market positions held by carriers therefore gets extended into the market for online services. Free speech. AOL recently "accidentally" blocked email critical of it. Canada's version of AT&T, Telus, blocked access to a site supporting workers with whom it was negotiating. How long before providers routinely block access to sites they deem inappropriate for their customers, for their customers' own good, of course? Creativity. Net neutrality is being legislated away in part to make the Internet safe for Hollywood content. Carriers already block users from being full-fledged creators on the Internet by providing paltry upload capacity. Why allow the carriers to give fast-lane preference to Hollywood's content? And why give them the power to restrict content they think may rile the copyright totalitarians? Democracy. Remember when democracy had something to do with all people being equal? With ensuring that our institutions don't get too powerful? Net neutrality has made the Internet a great equalizer, not just for Americans but for voices around the world. The end of Net neutrality puts control over the flow of bits in the hands of powers that are literally entrenched. Net neutrality counts. Check SaveTheInternet.com to see how you can help. [Tags: net_neutrality digital_rights] Posted
by D. Weinberger at April 22, 2006 10:04 AM
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Comments
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Posted by: Bill Hooker | April 24, 2006 11:56 PM
Since the vast majority of consumers have a choice of more than 2 ISPs, what prevents the market from sorting out violations of net neutrality without big government's help?
Posted by: clack | April 25, 2006 08:48 AM
what prevents the market from sorting out violations of net neutrality
I think you're overestimating the number of providers among whom consumers can choose, and vastly underestimating the proclivity of those providers to collude in trading public freedoms for corporate profit.
Posted by: Bill Hooker | April 25, 2006 12:27 PM
I think the earlier posters comments about competition are highly important to this issue. Almost everyone in the United States has at least two ISP options. That in itself is a form of competition, but what will really spur more competition and the growth of satellite and Wi-Fi networks will be any violation of Net Neutrality by a telco. That's why legislation should be held off.
Posted by: pkp646 | April 25, 2006 05:34 PM
What are these claims of equality? How is it equal for one website to use huge amounts of bandwidth, while others websites use smaller amounts, yet both websites are treated the same by the “pipe owners.” That doesn’t seem equal to me. Consumers will benefit from differentiated product offers that are being proposed, but currently cannot be implemented due to net neutrality regulations. If we are worried about equality, the last way we are going to achieve it is through ceding more power to the government.
Posted by: John Rice | April 25, 2006 08:44 PM
Putting the web experience in terms of "product offers" obscures the principle draw that the net has for the public. While I market a creative small home business on the net, I am mostly facinated by the art, the creative genius, and the passionate opinions on the net.
I have only trepidation about ceding control of the net to big telcom, and cable companies. Every incentive will push these companies to limit competition, smash the little guy, and shut up the public. This will occur in an atmosphere where the U.S. is already in a "less than competitive" position internationally. Crippling the internet here will cewrtainly be another setback.
Posted by: Ed | June 24, 2006 06:14 AM
Larry Boucher was kind enough to share his thoughts about net neutrality with me in an email conversation; and to allow me to then post that conversation on the web. The whole conversation is posted at my blog: http://blog.davestechshop.net/
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