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Internet influential figures write to US Congress in support of “net neutrality”

Tuesday, December 12th 2017 - 18:50 UTC
Full article 6 comments
“It is important to understand that FCC’s proposed Order is based on flawed and factually inaccurate understanding of internet technology,” the open letter read. “It is important to understand that FCC’s proposed Order is based on flawed and factually inaccurate understanding of internet technology,” the open letter read.
Signees included several of the architects of the early internet and world wide web, such as Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee, along with Steve Wozniak (Pic) Signees included several of the architects of the early internet and world wide web, such as Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee, along with Steve Wozniak (Pic)
The letter, signed by 21 notable people, was sent to the Senate's commerce subcommittee on communications, technology, innovation and the internet. The letter, signed by 21 notable people, was sent to the Senate's commerce subcommittee on communications, technology, innovation and the internet.

Several influential figures responsible for creating the internet have demanded that a controversial vote to be cancelled. This week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will decide on whether to repeal an Obama-era law that protects “net neutrality”. This refers to the principle that all traffic on the internet is treated equally. The pioneers said the FCC did not know what it was doing.

“It is important to understand that the FCC’s proposed Order is based on a flawed and factually inaccurate understanding of internet technology,” the open letter read.

Signees included several of the architects of the early internet and world wide web, such as Vint Cerf and Tim Berners-Lee, along with Steve Wozniak, the Apple co-founder.

The letter calls for the vote, due to be held on 14 December, to be cancelled due to what the authors regard as a lack of transparency and a refusal to listen to critics of the plan.

“The FCC’s rushed and technically incorrect proposed Order to abolish net neutrality protections without any replacement is an imminent threat to the internet we worked so hard to create,” the letter states. “It should be stopped.”

The letter, signed by 21 notable people, was sent to the Senate's commerce subcommittee on communications, technology, innovation and the internet.

This week could be pivotal in the history of the internet. Although it is yet to vote, there is no doubt that the Republican-controlled FCC will choose to end net neutrality when it makes its ruling on Thursday.

Without laws protecting the principles, campaigners say internet service providers (ISPs) will have free reign to exploit new power by throttling certain types of internet traffic.

For example, an ISP may decide to charge extra to use a service such as Netflix, or give a company an upper hand by not counting use of certain services when charging users for data bandwidth. Such moves are theoretical, but until now were prevented by law.

The FCC believes the possible impact of the move has been exaggerated, and said the change in regulations would help improve competition and remove government meddling in the internet.

It said the open market should mean users are not unfairly treated by ISPs - despite many Americans only having one choice of provider in certain parts of the country.

In a move designed to allay fears of foul play, the FCC and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday announced new coordination to clamp down on unfair behavior from telecoms companies.

The FCC and the FTC, the government body tasked with protecting consumer rights, will jointly investigate any issues.

“Instead of saddling the Internet with heavy-handed regulations, we will work together to take targeted action against bad actors,” the FCC said.

Categories: Politics, International.

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • bushpilot

    I myself am not broke and I don't want to spend hours a month searching the market on an ongoing basis anyway.

    We all have reasonably normal service now. Instead of this, the “superior option”:

    The ISPs will charge more money for the normal service we already have and the ones who don't want to pay this or can't will be tortured with almost useless internet speeds.

    That-is-how-it-is-going-to-work.

    This bill is a shitty idea, plain and simple.

    Dec 13th, 2017 - 03:45 am +2
  • DemonTree

    Hope you've got the lube ready for when you get screwed by your ISP!

    Dec 12th, 2017 - 09:49 pm 0
  • DemonTree

    And why would any of your options want to unnecessarily support Netflix or Youtube or similar bandwidth sucking businesses?

    You'll be the one paying more for less choice and a crappier service if this law passes. How much extra do you think they'll charge to let you look at porn?

    Dec 12th, 2017 - 11:39 pm 0
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