In a recent move that is likely to see support from various content providers such as Apple, Netflix and others, President Barack Obama publicly called on the FCC to take on the strongest measure possible when it comes to protecting net neutrality. Obama’s plan calls on the FCC to reclassify broadband services under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, which classifies Internet connections as a basic utility such as water or electricity. This would essentially prevent Internet service providers from deciding how much customers’ connections are used.
It’s been quite some time but many advocates have called on the US government and others to implement laws preventing ISPs from creating a “tiered” Internet ecosystem. Observers on the other hand have expressed concern that ISPs could begin charging users to access certain websites or favoring one online service over another with faster connection speeds. An ISP could potentially offer faster access to a favored service than content from Apple’s iTunes for example. Alternatively it could block it all together and charge people to access it.
Obama had the following to say regarding his stance:
Whether you use a computer, phone or tablet, Internet providers have a legal obligation not to block or limit your access to a website. Cable companies can't decide which online stores you can shop at, or which streaming services you can use, and they can't let any company pay for priority over its competitors.
- No blocking: ISPs cannot be permitted to block access to legal content.
- No throttling: ISPs cannot intentionally slow down some content or speed up others.
- Increased transparency: Ensure that some sites are not getting special treatment in places other than the "last mile" of connection between ISPs and consumers. If necessary, the FCC could apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet.
- No paid prioritization: Prevent ISPs from cutting deals with content providers for faster access. Obama has asked the FCC to explicitly ban any such restrictions.
Those of you interested in watching President Obama's message can do so below:
Although Apple has supported net neutrality, many of its partners have not. Verizon Wireless for example was widely criticized previously after it claimed that data throttling was a “widely accepted” practice. We’ll have to see what comes of the whole issue but the fact that the Obama administration is in favor of net neutrality is good news for consumers all over the US.
Source: The White House (YouTube)
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