I must be getting old or something to have a senator for a hero. Why Sen. Wyden? He has proposed federally legislating Network Neutrality. Net Neutrality is of fundemental importance to protecting the Internet. It’s been a topic mostly discussed amongst the policy wonks and the industry. Now, it’s becoming a mainstream topic.
The Senator is leading the way in defining legislatively how Net Neutrality is defined. It’s principles, excerpted from the Senator’s press release are:
Not interfering with, blocking, degrading, altering, modifying or changing traffic on the Internet;
• Not being allowed to create a priority lane where content providers can buy quicker access to customers, while those who do not pay the fee are left in the slow lane;
• Allowing consumers to choose which devices they use to connect to the Internet while they are on the net;
• Ensuring that consumers have non-discriminatory access and service; and
• Having a transparent system in which consumers, Internet content, and applications companies have access to the rates, terms, and conditions for Internet service.
I applaud Senator Wyden’s initiative. He is one of the few Congressman willing to stand up to one of the best funded lobbying and political contribution machines in the nation.
His legislation will be part of the discussion for an update/rewrite of federal telecommunications policy. Those debates are in their early stages in Congress and it’s unclear if anything will come for vote in this session. The telcos are agitating for more deregulation. At least with Senator Wyden’s bill there is a counterbalance to their demands.
Show Senator Wyden you support. Send him an email!