Net Neutrality Debate Threatens Viability of Major US Communications Bill

The debate over net neutrality may prevent a massive communications bill from making it through the US Senate. The proposed legislation would bring widespread changes in many areas, including the introduction of copy protection for digital radio broadcasts by embedding a "broadcast flag" in those signals that prevents them from being recorded. However, much of the opposition to the legislation revolves around the absence of specific provisions that would articulate a policy of net neutrality. (For more specific arguments pro and con, see an earlier news item in E-TIPS®, "Pro and Con: Google Says Net Neutrality Protects Innovation but FTC Says Net Neutrality Regulation is Unnecessary", Vol 5, No 5, August 30, 2006). An amendment to the bill introduced in the Senate Commerce Committee would have specifically enforced net neutrality by preventing ISPs from entering into any deals to deliver preferential access to certain web sites. However, the Committee vote on the amendment resulted in an 11-11 tie, which meant that the amendment was defeated. Democratic supporters of the amendment plan to reintroduce it on the Senate floor. The bill contains an "Internet consumer bill of rights" which some Senators believe is sufficient to address concerns about net neutrality. It will be difficult to predict whether the bill will pass this fall, since Congress has only a few weeks left until it recesses again for the November midterm elections. For more information, visit: http://news.com.com/2100-1028_3-6115016.html For more on net neutrality, see: http://makeashorterlink.com/?Y302239DD Summary by: Andrei Edwards