Though a basic set of rules have been in place as of November of 2011, debates over the merits of “network neutrality,” which gained traction over the past few years, have continued on -- though perhaps now with less fervor. The rules implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) are in favor of network neutrality – the principle of regulating broadband Internet services to prevent restrictions on access to certain categories of usage such as to certain services, content, websites, applications, and other types of segmentation. With greater competition online and technological advances resulting in activities or applications that utilize disproportionately large amounts of resources, incentives for broadband providers to restrict certain activities increased as well.
In general, advocates of the policy of network neutrality cite the benefits of preventing anti-competitive behaviors – an easy enough stance to understand. More complicated, perhaps, is the position of the detractors who claim there are existing market incentives to prevent more egregious anti-competitive behaviors and also perhaps public policy reasons for wanting to allow restrictions. Furthermore, internet broadband providers may wield their existing rights - such as arguments that regulations violate the their property rights as broadband providers - as a shield against certain regulations of their activities.
The answer is likely a complicated line-drawing exercise between allowing unlimited restrictions on one side of the spectrum and a blanket prohibition of any action that would potentially violate network neutrality on the other; determinations of how to draw the line invoke questions regarding the economic implications of regulation or deregulation, the impact on freedom of speech, and effect on other rights and liberties.
Given the profound effects either implementing or allowing violations of network neutrality will have on consumer behavior and the public’s access to information, the need to understand its ins and outs are great. Furthermore, as internet providers lob attacks on the FCC's newly-implemented rules and as lawsuits arise over violations thereof, the scope of the FCC's jurisdiction and the rights of the providers will shape the court's ability to support or detract from network neutrality.
the advantages of Network Neutrality that is avoiding anti-competitive habits – an easy enough position to comprehend.
Posted by: Riverbed WAN Optimization | February 28, 2012 at 03:03 AM