FreedomofSpeech–Chapter3CSC301

Part5–NetNeutralitySpring2018

HowardRosenthal

CourseNotes:

� Muchofthematerialintheslidescomesfromthebooksandtheirassociatedsupportmaterials,belowaswellasmanyofthereferencesattheclasswebsite

Baase,SaraandHenry,Timothy,AGiftofFire:Social,Legal,andEthicalIssuesforComputingTechnology(5thEdition)Pearson,March9,2017,ISBN-13:978-0134615271Quinn,Michael,EthicsfortheInformationAge(7thEdition),Pearson,Feb.21,2016,ISBN-13978-0134296548

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LessonGoals

�  Definingnetneutrality�  Understandingtheissues�  Prosandconsofnetneutrality

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WhatIsNetNeutrality�  TrueNetNeutralitysaysthatallInternettrafficshouldbetreatedexactlythesame

�  NetNeutralitydescribes�  Howtelephoneandcablecompaniesinteractwiththebroadbandcustomers

�  Howtheysetchargesforservices�  Iftheycanchargepremiumfeesforhigherratesofaccesstosomeservices

�  DowehavetrulyfreespeechifsomepeoplecanpaymoretospeakorcommunicatemorequicklyovertheInternet?

�  TheTelecommunicationsActof1996isinconsistentwithnetneutralityinthatitstates�  “ItisthepolicyoftheU.S.…topreservethevibrantandcompetitivefreemarketthatpresentlyexistsfortheInternetandothercomputerservices,unfetteredbyFederalorStateregulation”

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TheTwoBasicIssues�  Doesdifferentcontentwarrantdifferenttreatmentbasedon

�  Thecontent�  Thecategoryofcontent�  Theproviderofthecontent�  The“needforspeed”

�  Canthecommunicationscompaniesandnetworksprovidedifferentlevelsofspeedorpriorityatdifferentpricelevelsto�  Contentproviders(inparticularformovies)andgaming�  Individualsubscribers

�  Whyshouldcommunicationscompaniesbedifferentfromothercompaniesthatprovidepremiumservices�  FEDEX�  Expresslanesonhighways�  Largequantitydiscounts�  Guaranteedprioritizationduringshortage–hospitalsand

electricity

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ThreeSidesofNetNeutrality

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ProsofNetNeutrality(1)�  NetworkneutralityprohibitsISPsprovidingand/orchargingonline

servicessuchasXBoxLive,PlayStationPlus,Skype,andNetflixfor"fastlanes".�  Theseextracostsfor"fastlanes"areproblematicbecausetheycan

maketheservicesmoreexpensiveforInternetusersandalsomaypreventsmallcompaniesfromreceivingthenetworkbandwidthandspeednecessarytocompetewiththebigcompanieswhohavethebudgettoreachagreementswithISPs

�  Interestinglymanycompaniesthatarenottelecommunicationsproviders,includingAmazon,NetflixandGoogle,amongstothersarguefornet-neutrality�  Theyworryabouttelecommunicationsprovidersthatarealsocontentproviders

skewingthenetintheirfavor�  Netneutralityavoidsdiscriminationamongusersensuringsimilar

accesstoinformationforpeopleofdifferentsocio-economicstatus.�  Telecomsthatarealsocontentproviderscanbiasnetworksintheir

favor�  Withoutneutrality,high-speedInternetforentertainmentcouldbe

prioritizedovereducation.�  ISPscouldchangepremiumfees(“pay-to-play”)toenjoyspecial

accesstopubliclibraries,benefitingtherichestpeople.

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ProsofNetNeutrality(2)�  Networkneutralityhelpstopromotefreedomofchoice,asISPscannotobstructorincentivizeparticularcontentsorsitesoverothers

�  Anti-blockingandanti-discriminationrulespreventtheISPsfromarbitrarilydecidingtolimitaccessorpromotesometypeofcontent.�  TheroleofISPsistoonly"transport"datatotheusersthathavepaidfordelivery,andthereforetheyshouldnotshapecontentconsumptionpatterns.

�  Netneutralitypromotesalevelplayingfieldforcompetingcompanies.

�  Thereisnotenoughcompetitionavailableinthenetworkproviderindustrytoavoidthetemptationsandabusesofnearmonopolies

�  See“HowtheFCC'sNetNeutralityPlanBreaksWith50YearsofHistory|WIRED.pdf”inthereferences

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ConsofNetNeutrality(1)�  Regulationimposingnetneutralitywouldlimitnewbusinessideasandconceptsandcouldbeconsideredcontrarytofreemarketrules.

�  Sponsoredcontentand“pay-to-play”schemesmaygoagainstthenetneutralityspirit,buttheycanhelpcompaniesimprovetheoverallservicetheyoffer.�  HeavierInternetusersmaybechargedmore.

�  On-lineheavyusegameplayerscanabsorbtremendousamountsofbandwidth–isthatreallyneutral

�  WiththatextramoneyISPscouldincreasethebandwidthforallInternetusers.

�  ThankstosponsorshipssomemobiletelecomoperatorsmayofferfreeInternetAccesstosomecontents.�  Thismayenablethosewhodon’thavedatacontractsontheirsmartphonestosurfsomeareasintheInternetforfree.

�  Similarly,itwouldreducetheconsumptionofotherusers’dataallotments.

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ConsofNetNeutrality(2)�  RegulationfornetneutralitymaylimitthetoolsofgovernmentsandISPstofightagainstonline“piracy”.�  MaterialinfringingcopyrightlawswillbeeasilysharedusingP2P

software.ISPsorgovernmentswon'tbeabletoblockorfilterthesetypesofcontent,ifnetneutralityisfullyrespected.

�  Netneutralityrulesmakeitmoredifficulttomonitorandcontrolcontroversialadultcontent.

�  Somedefendersofnetneutralityquestiongovernmentintervention.Forthemitshouldemergeorganicallyornaturallybutnotimposedthroughlaws.�  Whatharmisthereinthecurrentsystemrequiringnew

regulations?�  Arewecreatinganewclaimright?

�  Eventhegovernmenthascreatedfirstcarpoolandthenpaidexpresslanesonthefreewaysforthosewhowanttogofaster

�  See“Netneutrality/whatarethebestargumentsforAjitPaiandtheFederalCommunicationCommission's.pdf”inthereferences

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InConclusion

�  Weareprotectedinourrighttofreespeechfromgovernmentinterference

�  WiththeriseoftheInternetwholenewareasforfreespeechhavearisen�  Dowehavetherighttodemandfreespacetopublishour

thoughts?�  Canthegovernment,whichisneededtopreventchaosonthe

Internet,regulateorenforcefreeaccess?�  Whenyouaredealingwithaworld-wideresource,howdothese

variousculturesandgovernmentscreatethemostequitablesystem?

�  WhatisacrimeontheInternet?Leaking,pornography,bullying…..

�  Whoenforcestherules?Thecontentorinfrastructureproviders,thegovernment,aquasigovernmentregulatingbody…

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