February 27, 2015

Yesterday, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to classify the Internet as a telecommunications service. In doing so, the commission chose a set of regulations that would protect “net neutrality,” the idea that all bits of data traveling over the Internet should be treated the same, regardless of content. Title II of the 1934 Communications Act regulates telephone service to ensure that all carriers are treated equally. High-speed Internet, however, had previously been classed as an information service, not a telecommunications service.

Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (Credit: FCC)

The FCC voted for reclassification along party lines, with three Democrats in favor and two Republicans against. The reclassification applies to both wired and wireless Internet service providers (ISP’s). The vote carved out several exceptions from the Title II regulations to which telecommunications services are normally subject. For example, the FCC said it would not use its authority to set pricing for Internet services.

However, the new classification would result in a number of significant new regulations. The FCC said it would ban “fast lanes”—the practice of ISP’s charging customers more for faster access to certain kinds of content, such as streamed movies and television shows. Supporters of net neutrality have long argued that fast lanes could enable ISP’s to effectively censor speech on the Internet by throttling access to it. Under the new regulatory scheme, the FCC would also have the power to enforce protections for consumer privacy and expand Internet access to rural areas and to people with disabilities.

A number of ISP’s strongly oppose the new regulation, arguing that it is burdensome regulation intended to fix a problem that does not exist. The reclassification will likely be challenged by lawsuits, and Republicans have indicated they will seek new laws to overturn the FCC’s vote.

Other World Book articles:

• Internet (2010-a Back in time article)
• Telecommunications (2010-a Back in time article)

November 13, 2014

President Barack Obama posted an essay on November 10 to the website Medium arguing for net neutrality, the idea that all data that flows over the Internet should be treated equally. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently considering new rules for net neutrality. The rules could regulate Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to ensure that net neutrality is upheld. However, many have expressed concern that the rules could leave gaping loopholes. While noting the FCC’s independence, Obama echoed those concerns in his essay and asked the FCC to uphold them.

U.S. President Barack Obama discusses net neutrality in a video aired on November 10, 2014. (White House photo)

Internet data travels in signals, called packets, that move through the Internet’s “net” of routers and wires. ISP’s typically provide the so-called “last mile” connection from the Internet to a user’s home. Net neutrality supporters worry that ISP’s may block, slow down, or charge extra for certain kinds of data, such as websites from rival companies. They also argue that access to Internet information has become a necessity, much like access to water or postal services, and thus should be subject to stricter regulations that govern utilities.

ISP’s have argued that they need technological leeway to manage their traffic and worried that strong net neutrality regulations might cripple their ability to do so. Earlier this year, the video streaming site Netflix began paying two ISP’s—Comcast and Verizon—for faster access to their networks. While the arrangements—called paid peering—did not affect how the ISP’s sorted traffic on their own networks, net neutrality supporters argued that such “fast lanes” could still discriminate against certain kinds of Internet traffic.

Obama did not explicitly say such arrangements should be banned, but he argued that they should be transparent. The FCC had sought to impose net neutrality regulations in previous years, but courts struck them down in January—thus the need for new rules.

• Additional World Book articles:
• Internet (a Back in Time article-2010)
• Internet (a Back in Time article-2009)
• Internet (a Back in Time article-2008)