A petition to The White House to protect true net neutrality is challengingly abstract, particularly when extended to demands for nothing less than complete neutrality in our communication channels: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/maintain-true-net-neutrality-protect-freedom-information-united-states/9sxxdBgy An e-petition to reclassify Internet broadband providers as common carriers, by way of contrast, is quite specific: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/reclassify-internet-broadband-providers-common-carriers/4MrqLTlV The author demonstrates an understanding of the legal and regulatory position that the Federal Communications Commission is now in, after Januarys court ruling: reclassify the Internet as a common carrier for telecommunications (making its providers utilities and thus regulated by the FCC) or allow tiers for the Internet: e-pluribusunum/2014/01/16/what-next-for-net-neutrality-reclassification-or-a-tiered-internet/ After the news broke this past week that the FCC was considering rules that would enable such a tiered Internet (nice scoop, Gautham Nagesh online.wsj/news/articles/SB10001424052702304518704579519963416350296?mod=ST1) and then the Internet and subsequently the broader media world went …a little crazy. If youre still trying to catch up on the issue and are pressed for time, read Timothy Lee, who moves quickly to the state of play and whats probably the best long-term solution, if you favor deliberative democracy: Congress drafts and enacts a law that governing net neutrality, not a regulatory agency: vox/2014/4/27/5655622/congress-could-fix-the-net-neutrality-mess-but-it-probably-wont If youre keeping score, the European Parliament passed a Net Neutrality law this spring: https://techpresident/news/wegov/24892/european-parliament-adopts-law-keep-internet-open as did Brazil: https://techpresident/news/wegov/24863/el-marco-civil-internet-success-story If you have some time, try this comprehensive digest of the best writing on the issue from The Atlantic: theatlantic/technology/archive/2014/04/the-best-writing-on-net-neutrality/361237/ As well as Stacey Higginbotham: gigaom/2014/04/24/when-it-comes-to-net-neutrality-either-the-fcc-thinks-were-idiots-or-it-just-doesnt-care/ …and former Wired journalist Ryan Singel: https://medium/democracy-at-work/7805f8049503 Ill be frank about the linked e-petitions: while they are a useful bellwether for public opinion but they are not legally binding, nor is The White House required to respond in a given time frame. If President Barack Obama makes a stronger statement in support of network neutrality that reaffirms his position as a Senator, in 2007, it would make a political difference, but his authority has statutory limits. Its quite possible that Congress wont act in this election year. The FCC has indicated that Chairman Wheeler wants rules in place by the end of this year. Therefore, if this is an issue that matters to you, one way or the other, make sure to weigh in through the official rulemaking process (linked here: e-pluribusunum/2014/02/25/fcc-open-docket-open-internet-rulemaking/ and write to [email protected]: fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-internet-comments and not just through petitions or social media. You wont be alone, if you do: in the nine weeks since the rulemaking has been open, the FCC has been lobbied intensely by dozens of companies, interest groups and trade associations. nytimes/2014/04/25/business/lobbying-efforts-intensify-after-fcc-tries-3rd-time-on-net-neutrality.html Theyve also received more than 14,000 comments: apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/proceeding/view?z=ocyfc&name=14-28 Oh, and call your Congressional representatives. The House and Senate will be back in DC this week and would no doubt be thrilled to hear that the public cares about how the Internet is classified, regulated or delivered, depending upon what is commercially reasonable.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Apr 2014 22:22:53 +0000
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