Proposal to Research Net Neutrality

Matthew Johnson

Date: Oct 9
th
, 2014
To: Robert Arnold
From: Matthew Johnson
Subject: Request for Approval of Research on Net Neutrality

I seek permission to research the controversial topic of net neutrality to find a way to increase
awareness and help stop proposed laws. There is a specific issue regarding net neutrality dealing
with fast lanes. Internet Service Providers will be able to create special lanes that have faster
and superior service to companies that are willing to pay the price. Internet Service Providers
will then be drawing money from both ends of the transaction: the user and the producer. This is
an extreme breach of net neutrality, in which the government and ISPs should treat all data
equally, regardless of the user or company providing the data. In a nation where ISPs have a near
monopoly, allowing internet fast lanes could continue to monopolize the business and cripple the
freedom of the internet. I seek to research into this topic to find the effects the voice of the
citizens can have on the Federal Communications Commission. I believe that if citizens reach
out to the FCC, these proposed acts can be halted or eradicated altogether.


Solutions
To solve this issue, I propose that contacting ones representative or senator could have a great
effect on the outcome of this proposed fast lane act. There is also a page the Federal
Communications Commission has set up that allows citizens to comment on proposed acts.
Having people respond in these ways could make all the difference needed to prevent these acts
from crippling net neutrality and our freedom of speech.

Conclusion
In conclusion, I feel that net neutrality is a relevant topic to todays society. Awareness and
understanding this issue will help people reach out to their representatives. The internet is a place
where all people are equal and have freedom of speech. To allow companies to gain income from
the users and the producers of content on the internet is a breach of anti-trust laws already in
place in the United States. Our freedom of speech is also at risk if we allow these companies to
control what they want on the internet without voicing out.

Annotated Bibliography

Brodkin, Jon. "Make ISPs into "common Carriers," Says Former FCC Commissioner." Ars
Technica. Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Oct. 2014. <http://arstechnica.com/tech-
policy/2014/01/drop-regulatory-hammer-on-internet-providers-says-former-fcc-
commish/>.

This piece published on the website Ars Technica describes how the Federal
Communications Commission could resolve the issues revolving around net neutrality.
They provide statements from a past FCC commissioner (Michael Copps) about how the
FCC should reclassify broadband as telecommunications. According to Copps, this would
classify ISPs as common carriers, which would lead to harsher regulations upon them by
the FCC. I would use this article to describe solutions to the internet fast lane problem.
Reclassifying ISPs as common carriers would solve net neutrality issues. Jon Brodkin is
the senior IT reporter at Ars Technica, reporting on topics such as business technology,
the FCC and broadband, telecommunications, supercomputing, data centers, and wireless
technology.

Carr, David. "Warnings Along F.C.C.s Fast Lane." The New York Times. The New York Times,
11 May 2014. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/12/business/media/warnings-along-fccs-fast-
lane.html?_r=0>.
This article from the New York Times discusses the problems with internet fast lanes. It
explains why consumers should be against the proposed fast lanes. Carr explains that
companies such as Netflix will begin to charge more if cable companies such as Comcast
charge them more to provide the service. According to the author, this would lead to
content providers to raise prices on consumers while the cable companies are allowed to
draw income from the consumer and the provider. I would use this source to explain the
issue of internet fast lanes, and why it is an issue in the first place. David Carr is the
author of this article. He writes the Media Equation column for the New York Times.

H, M. "Faux Go-slow." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper, 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 16 Oct.
2014. <http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2014/09/net-neutrality>.

The article from the Economist discusses the recent Internet Slowdown Day. This was an
effort by several popular websites, such as Reddit and WordPress, to show users what the
result could be if proposed internet fast lanes were put into place. Companies that could
not necessarily afford to pay the price to get a priority lane would suffer an impeded path
to the users. This Slowdown Day was an effort to get users who did not wish to have
impeded service to comment on the FCCs website and request that ISPs be reclassified
to a telecommunications service rather than an information service. After the plethora of
comments the FCC received supporting net neutrality, the deadline for the decision on
internet fast lanes was postponed. I would use this article to show the impact that people
can have when they protest things they disagree with. Little information was provided
about the author, but the Economist is one of the most popular news magazines today. It
boasts over one and a half million subscriptions to its print service, and has continually
ran since 1843.