Net Neutrality

Keeping the Internet open for everyone

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What is it?

  • In a nutshell: All legal traffic on the Internet is equal
  • Cat videos == videoconferences == Skype == forums
  • Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) cannot discriminate against legal traffic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtt2aSV8wdw

Recent news

Sample list of supporters

  • Amazon
  • Cogent
  • Dropbox
  • Ebay
  • Etsy
  • Facebook
  • Foursquare
  • Google 
  • Kickstarter
  • Level 3
  • LinkedIn
  • Lyft
  • Microsoft
  • Netflix
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • Vonage Holdings Corp.
  • Yahoo! Inc.
  • Zynga
  • 2600hz, Inc.
  • 2redbeans
  • 4chan
  • 8x8, Inc.
  • Addy
  • AdviserDeck
  • Agile Learning Labs
  • Airdroids
  • AirHelp
  • AnalyticsMD
  • Appar
  • Apportable
  • AppRebates
  • Apptology
  • Assembly Made, Inc.
  • Authentise
  • Automattic/WordPress.com
  • BadgerMapping
  • Bitnami
  • BitTorrent
  • Blu Zone
  • CBeyond
  • Chirply
  • Clef
  • CloudFare
  • Codecademy
  • CodeCombat
  • CodeHS
  • CodeScience
  • Colourful Rebel
  • Contextly
  • Coursera
  • CrowdTilt
  • Cube, Co
  • dasData
  • Digg
  • Distinc.tt
  • DuckDuckGo
  • Duolingo
  • DynaOptics
  • Embedly
  • Fandor
  • Floor64
  • Flowroute
  • Flurry
  • Fonebook
  • Funeral Innovations
  • Gandi
  • General Assembly
  • Github
  • Grid
  • Handy Networks
  • Haystack.tv
  • Heavybit Industries
  • HelloSign
  • HeyZap
  • iFixit
  • iLost
  • Imgur
  • Instapaper
  • inXile Entertainment
  • Kaltura
  • LawGives
  • Leaflad
  • LendUp
  • Linearair
  • Linknovate
  • littleBits
  • Lucipher.net
  • MDDHosting LLC
  • Medium
  • Meetup
  • Meteor Development Grouo
  • Minds + Machines
  • Misk
  • MixRank
  • MobileWorks
  • Motionry
  • MozartMedical
  • Mozilla
  • NOTCOT Inc
  • O’Reilly Media
  • OfficeNinjas
  • Open Materials
  • Open Spectrum
  • OpenDNS
  • Opera Software ASA
  • PayTango
  • Pocket/ReaditLater
  • Poll Everywhere, Inc
  • Printrbot
  • Publitas.com
  • Rallyware
  • Recrout
  • Redbubble
  • Rewheel/Digital Fuel Monitor
  • Reylabs
  • Rogue Labs
  • Shapeways
  • Sidecar
  • Sift Science
  • Simpolaris
  • SketchDeck
  • Skytree
  • SlidePay, Inc
  • Socialscope
  • Solidoodle
  • SpiderOak
  • SpoonRocket
  • Spotfront
  • StackExchange
  • StartX Stanford
  • Statwing
  • Tastemaker
  • The Next Web
  • Triggit
  • Tsumobi
  • Tucows
  • Twilio
  • UberConference
  • UltiMachine
  • Ustream
  • Vidmaker
  • Volary Foundation
  • Voys Telecom
  • Waxy
  • Worldly
  • Xola
  • Yanomo

We need to defend net neutrality!

  • Protect innovation, discourage monopolization
  • Ensure equal delivery of content
  • Protect First Amendment rights online

Reason 1: Innovation

  • Google, Yahoo, MSN exist because of the open web
  • Startups continue to change all aspects of society
    • Uber, Lyft
    • Square
    • Instagram, Snapchat
  • Keep the road open for all
  • Traffic discrimination → financial pressure on startups
    • Discrimination = unfair business model

Reason 2: Equal delivery of content

  • FCC's new "fast lane concept": prioritized traffic
  • But some services will be slowed down
    • Who will notice? You.
    • ISPs will make competitors have to pay up for equal bandwidth
      • bad for business (see Reason 1)

Reason 2: Opposition

"But what if a hospital wants to prioritize traffic from a patient's heart rate monitor?"

Reason 3: Protect free speech

  • Internet as a platform of free speech
    • Twitter
    • Citizen journalism
    • Weblogs
  • Tiered Internet access → violation of First Amendment
    • "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press" (First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution)
    • Cannot favor one web service over another!

What opponents say

  • Too much traffic on the Internet!
    • Response: Should prioritize building high-speed connections, not limiting traffic
  • And what about illegal downloads, piracy?
    • Response: We already crack down on illegal Internet activity
      • Piracy
      • Child pornography
      • Drug trafficking
    • No-liability act for ISPs. Users take responsibility

In short

  • Net neutrality is vital for the Internet
  • The Internet was conceived as an open, decentralized platform

Possible sources

  • Scientific American Magazine
  • Tim Berners-Lee, Vint Cerf
  • Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
  • Articles from academic journals
  • Finance/economy focused
    • Wall Street Journal
    • Forbes
  • Arguments from the opposition

Writing center visit

  • Help with thesis
  • Transforming outline → rough draft
  • "A very technical topic".

Questions?


Net Neutrality

By Geoffrey Liu

Net Neutrality

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