Intellectual Property Law

Net Neutrality Comments

By wu

I filed comments in the Net Neutrality proceeding.   From the first page:

* * *

I offer these comments to make three points.  First, there have been
tions in the media and elsewhere that the FCC?s proposed Net
Neutrality rules represent a radical departure in American federal
communications policy.  I?d suggest, from a historic perspective, that the
FCC?s Net Neutrality rule is rather mild.  In particular, it is far less
aggressive than the anti-discrimination laws imposed on carriers under the
Cleveland or Taft Administrations.

Second, many critics of the Proposed Rules have blurred the crucial
distinction between regulation of the Internet and the regulation of those
that carry Internet traffic.  I point out only that the latter, carriers, have
always been subject to regulation, as we shall, historically much stricter
regulation than that found in the Proposed Rules.

Third, I write to suggest that the FCC?s stated goal of protecting the
Internet as a platform for free speech will depend on how rigorously it
implements a ban on not only the blocking of content, but also on demands
for ?Internet Payola.?

Full post as published by What’s New With Wu on January 14, 2010 (boomark / email).