By Matt Forcey
There’s been a lot of news the past few weeks about the brewing battle over “Net Neutrality”, with internet service providers (ISPs) like Verizon and AT&T lining up on one side of the firewall, and Internet-focused outlets such as Amazon, Vonage, and EBay on the other. The drama has included some interesting and unexpected back-room deal making involving Google, Verizon, the FCC, and even some folks in Congress, and has prompted one U.S. Senator to call net neutrality, "the First Amendment issue of our time."
Now I know what you’re probably thinking: One, what the hockey sticks is net neutrality? Two, why is this becoming such a big issue? Three, why is Google, whose chivalrous corporate motto is “Don't Be Evil”, working with members of Congress? Of course I jest... you're all doing a fantastic job.
Net neutrality is basically a commitment, by service providers, that all internet traffic be treated equally, with no special preference given to any user or content provider (e.g. Macy's can't pay your Internet provider extra money to make sure you get a better connection to their website than you do when visiting Bloomingdale's site). This has been the law-of-the-land for over a decade.
But in April of this year, a Federal court ruled that the FCC has no regulatory authority over ISPs. The concern from those advocating for an open Internet is that without oversight, ISPs can begin shaping access to and availability of content to their benefit, and the benefit of the highest bidder, thus eliminating the current meritocracy by which websites acquire traffic based on the popularity of their offerings.
Opposition to net neutrality, which comes not just from the aforementioned ISP's, but also from conservative think tanks like the Cato Institute, focuses largely on the constitutionality of any new government regulation. Additionally, there are a number of noted Internet engineers, such as TCP inventor Bob Kahn, who feel that any regulation that limits competition for business, will have a negative impact on innovation (an argument made in many industries).
The chart below, brought to us by the talented graphic designers at OnlineMBA.org highlights fifteen facts about the issue
Via: Online MBA Programs
More on Net Neutrality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality
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