Net Neutrality Gavin Baker Florida Media Reform Conference Sarasota, FL Oct. 6, 2007

Not like this

Computers

A network

Some networks

A network of networks

Dumb by design

Dumb like the post office USPS

More like this

The Internet ● A global, privatized, distributed post office ● Common carrier

The Internet ● A network of networks ● Connections between the networks are neutral w/r/t the source, destination, content, application, device, etc.

Effects of neutrality ● Cheap to send content ● From any sender ● To any destination ● Any kind of content ● For any application ● To any device

Welcome to the market New entrants!

New entrants = innovation ● Economic ● Political ● Social ● Whatever

What's the debate? ● Some telcos want to abandon the neutrality principle ● Why?

Legislative history ● It was an FCC regulation ● FCC rule eliminated ● Effort to legislate in Congress starting last year ● Legislation has not yet passed; momentum was tied to omnibus telecom bill, which died in last Congress ● Effort to legislate in states as well

Summary ● Neutrality is the design principle that makes the Internet so valuable ● Neutrality was the law ● Internet providers still basically follow it, but have threatened to break it ● Neutrality will not bankrupt the Internet providers ● Breaking neutrality will not encourage infrastructure investments

Summary ● Neutrality is a principle worth preserving; the Internet is too important ● Congress must act