Why the Internet Should Stay Neutral Lydia Chen, Alex Salloum, David Talley, Angela Zhou

Network of Networks  Data, in packets, is transmitted between the machines on the network via routers  Internet service providers (ISPs) monitor the routing traffic  Data, in packets, is transmitted between the machines on the network via routers  Internet service providers (ISPs) monitor the routing traffic

Neutrality  Neutral  Routers are “dumb”  Pass along information at the same speed no matter what its source, destination, or contents  End-to-end neutral  All routers passed through to get from any source to any destination on the Internet are neutral  Neutral  Routers are “dumb”  Pass along information at the same speed no matter what its source, destination, or contents  End-to-end neutral  All routers passed through to get from any source to any destination on the Internet are neutral

Social Factors  Censorship  “low-priority” packets are discarded or sent slowly  Access to certain information is blocked by controlled routers  Those in control can silence competitors by blocking their service  Censorship  “low-priority” packets are discarded or sent slowly  Access to certain information is blocked by controlled routers  Those in control can silence competitors by blocking their service “I think that the neutrality of the Net is a medium essential for democracy” –Tim Berners-Lee, World Wide Web founder

Social Factors  The Internet should be a “level playing field”  Separation of social classes where middle and lower classes can’t afford high service of upper classes  The Internet should be a “level playing field”  Separation of social classes where middle and lower classes can’t afford high service of upper classes Haha, you can’t get to me, the Internet is in my favor Internet

Economics  A neutral Internet is like an electrical grid  Anything can be plugged into the grid without being discriminated against  AT&T and Google  A neutral Internet is like an electrical grid  Anything can be plugged into the grid without being discriminated against  AT&T and Google

Economics  Private and Public arenas  Example: Google, from small to huge  The Internet is essential to economic infrastructure  A medium for information transfer  Provides many other essential services  Limit Internet innovation == limit economic growth  Private and Public arenas  Example: Google, from small to huge  The Internet is essential to economic infrastructure  A medium for information transfer  Provides many other essential services  Limit Internet innovation == limit economic growth

Technology  Resource ReSerVation Protocol (RSVP)  The host meant to receive the data uses reservation messages to contact each router on the route back to the server and reserve bandwidth at that router  Resource ReSerVation Protocol (RSVP)  The host meant to receive the data uses reservation messages to contact each router on the route back to the server and reserve bandwidth at that router

Technology  Problems  Works well on small network, but not on something as large as the Internet  Every router along the route must support this protocol  ISPs must cooperate  Complex monitoring systems will have to be put in place along the routes  Problems  Works well on small network, but not on something as large as the Internet  Every router along the route must support this protocol  ISPs must cooperate  Complex monitoring systems will have to be put in place along the routes

Sources  Tyson, Jeff. “How Internet Infrastructure Works.”  Felten, Edward W. Nuts and Bolts of Network Neutrality. Center for Information Technology Policy Department of Computer Science and Woodrow Wilson School or Public and International Affairs Princeton University. July 6,  Fredrickson, Caroline. “Net Neutrality or Net Censorship?” Cnet News.com July 24, html html  Markoff, John. “’Neutrality’ is New Challenge for Internet Pioneer.” The New York Times. Sept. 27, int int    Tyson, Jeff. “How Internet Infrastructure Works.”  Felten, Edward W. Nuts and Bolts of Network Neutrality. Center for Information Technology Policy Department of Computer Science and Woodrow Wilson School or Public and International Affairs Princeton University. July 6,  Fredrickson, Caroline. “Net Neutrality or Net Censorship?” Cnet News.com July 24, html html  Markoff, John. “’Neutrality’ is New Challenge for Internet Pioneer.” The New York Times. Sept. 27, int int  