The Federal Communication Commission’s recent push for net neutrality principles acknowledges the challenges of the Internet and its role in society. With the adoption of new principles, citizens will be able to secure their right to the access of information.
Net neutrality states the Internet should be completely open and accessible. Last month, newly appointed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech in support of the adoption of net neutrality rules set forth by the Commission in 2004. The first four principles prohibit network providers from preventing users access to lawful Internet content, applications and services of their choice. Users can also not be prohibited from attaching non-harmful devices to the network. By leveling the playing field among providers, the goal is to increase competition that will ultimately result in greater consumer choice by promoting innovation. These principles are integral to a vibrant democracy and the rights of its citizens in accessing information.
No longer should we be held captive to the discretion of corporations as they cherry-pick what content and services they will provide. Everything must be available. At best, the U.S. is nothing more than a patchwork of providers and their services.
A fifth principle states that broadband providers must treat all content the same. In August of last year, the FCC punished Comcast for blocking Internet content to some of its customers. Not only is this discriminatory behavior unsanctioned, but it infringes on the right of citizens to have unfettered access to information. Such behavior on the part of providers calls for fair regulation, something that’s been sorely needed for the last decade.
A sixth principle of transparency was proposed to mandate providers be open about their network management practices. This is critical not only to consumers but for innovation in the industry. The days of secret network deployment and autonomous management of networks will be a thing of the past.
There’s a reason why the only wireless carrier choice for iPhones is AT&T with its spotty 3G network service. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless has been busy deploying its next-generation 4G network but has yet to attract any must-have devices. Ironically, it’s because of the deregulation of the telecommunications industries championed during the Reagan administration in the 1980s that the current state of wired and wireless offerings is so lackluster. Special agreements can be made between hardware providers and carriers, as is the case of Apple’s iPhone and AT&T. Companies can dictate where their networks are built without oversight, leading to many monopolized markets. Such lack of competition will be history when the FCC’s regulatory principles are formally adopted.
The FCC must go one step further to define Internet access as a legal right, not a privilege. The Internet has permanently changed the paradigm of communication. It has leveled the global playing field and fosters unprecedented opportunity for developing countries and citizens alike. Defining the Internet as an inalienable legal right is vital for citizens and democracy.
Finland became the first country in the world to pass a law defining broadband access as a legal right. By July of next year, every Fin will have a right to one Megabit-per-second broadband connection. Such a connection may seem futile, but it’s the powerful concept that every single citizen will have access that is pioneering. That connection speed will increase to 100 Megabits-per-second by the end of 2015.
A similar move on the part of the U.S. should be expected. The government, led by the FCC, should categorize Internet access via broadband lines as a public utility. Including the Internet in the same category as gas, electricity and water will secure access to all Americans, and not just those living in urban areas. Broadband access is still lacking in much of rural America. Such utilities are integral to the infrastructure and function of everyday life. The Internet should be no different.
These principles are vital in protecting the Internet as a free and open system, ripe for innovation. The Internet is an organic and extremely dynamic platform that continues to redefine the way we communicate. We must embrace the principles of net neutrality to secure an open, accessible Internet while demanding our legal right to access it.
8212;Andrew Lewandowski is a media studies senior.
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