Printing's complicated relationship with the Internet makes it easy to forget that as a medium, the Internet faces issues of its own. One of the thorniest has to do with the principle of network neutrality: the belief that Internet users, not Internet service providers, should be in control of content, access, and Internet activity in general.
Some advocacy groups believe that network neutrality is being threatened by proposed regulation that they say would give broadband carriers broad powers to "tier"the Internet into fast and slow services based on costs paid by end-users. These groups also fear network taxes that would put price tags on VOIP, IM, and other functions currently taken for granted as free services.
One of these groups, Hands Off the Internet, sums up its objections and apprehensions in this video:
Save the Internet is another supporter of unregulated network neutrality, and so is Google. Needless to say, the views of those in anti-regulation camp don't reflect the opinions of those who believe in changing telecommunications laws to make the Internet soon to be transformed by transmission via fiber optic cable more efficient.
Since, from now on, we will be doing very little printing that is not enabled by the Internet in some way, the network neutrality controversy is a development that we all should be paying close attention to. Those wishing to weigh in on either side of the debate are invited to post their comments here.
Discussion
By LookMaNoHands on Jun 17, 2007
Hi there, I work with Hands Off actually. You have us right -- we're against net regulation and while the basic principles of net neutrality are fine, the Dorgan-Snowe bill is both unnecessary (there have been no violations of the FCC's four principles) and would keep ISPs from offering QoS services (which would prioritize packets and guarantee high-def video quality) to paying customers. Not very smart.
I do just want to correct you about Save the Internet -- our nemesis in this debate. They do support Internet regulation, that is the Dorgan-Snowe bill. Google supports the bill as well.
This thing is all about the content companies like Google and eBay on one side, the ISPs on the other -- and our group very upfront about having telcos (and civic groups as well) in our coalition. Very complicated subject. I just threw a lot into this comment. If you have more questions, I'll make sure to stop by again.
By Adam Dewitz on Jun 18, 2007
Hands Off the Internet is on CommonCause's http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=1499059" rel="nofollow">Wolves in Sheep's Clothing list of telecom-backed fake anti-Net-Neutrality activist groups.
According to the CommonCause report Hands Off the Internet wants to eliminate long-standing net neutrality protections so that telephone
and cable companies can maximize profit and minimize competition on
the Internet.
By Lee Moore on Jun 19, 2007
Since the beginning of the Internet, all traffic has been pretty much treated the same. The proposed change is to move to charging for different levels of service (the QoS [Quality of Service] mentioned above). Quality of service would include speed and delay. Low delay packet delivery is important for people offering streaming video. The fear is that common traffic (or traffic from competitors) will be arbitrary starved (or alternatively capped) in favor of more lucrative video-on-demand services. Printers who have a web-to-print functionality may find themselves paying more to get their customer uploads to happen in a timely manner.