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Obama calls for tough rules to keep all internet traffic equal(Guardian (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Barack Obama yesterday called for tough new rules to protect the open internet and came out against proposals championed by cable and telecoms companies to create "fast lanes" for higher-paying customers on the web. The president's statement comes as the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prepares to publish new rules to regulate the internet after a series of legal defeats at the hands of telecoms and cable companies. "An open internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life. By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratising influences the world has ever known," Obama said. Cable and telecoms companies have lobbied for fast lanes, arguing that companies such as Netflix should pay more for the large amount of bandwidth they use. Opponents argue such a move would create a tiered internet with faster service for those who can pay, and end "net neutrality" - the principle that all traffic is equal on the web. "Net neutrality has been built into the fabric of the internet since its creation - but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted," wrote Obama. "We cannot allow internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas." He said the FCC should impose "the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality". Net neutrality campaigners cheered the president's statement. David Segal, executive director of Demand Progress, called it a "huge blow for the cable companies that seek to establish fast and slow lanes on the internet". But the telecoms and cable industry said it was stunned by the news and described Obama's proposals as unworkable. Scott Belcher, chief executive of the Telecommunications Industry Association, said the president's proposals would "set the industry back decades". Republican senator Ted Cruz said on Twitter: "Net Neutrality is Obamacare for the Internet; the Internet should not operate at the speed of government." Obama set out four "commonsense" rules he would like the FCC to impose: * No paid prioritisation. * No blocking. If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, an internet service provider should not be permitted to block it. * No "throttling". ISPs should not be allowed to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others - a process often called "throttling". * Increased transparency. Internet service is not just about the so-called last mile - the connection to a customer's home, said Obama. The FCC should monitor for potential abuses across the network. Obama's statement could prove to be an important precedent for the rest of the world. The speech also bolsters the case for considering internet access as a right that should be safeguarded by government. (c) 2014 Guardian Newspapers Limited. |