Archive: September, 2007

In another blow to the concept of Net Neutrality, the US Department of Justice filed a brief yesterday with the Federal Communications Commission opposing the imposition of Net Neutrality provisions.

Net Neutrality is the concept that all information transmitted across the Internet should be treated as equal by data-transmission companies such as the telcos and cable providers.

Supporters of Net Neutrality legislation suggest allowing the transmission companies the right to charge premium fees for certain types of data will decrease creative access to the Internet by leveling extra expenses on content and application providers and/or individual users. They also argue that the major telcos and cable companies could in effect become virtual gatekeepers by stopping data they deem inappropriate to cross their networks.

Opponents of Net Neutrality say that regulation will stifle the development of Internet infrastructure and technological innovation. They suggest the Internet is growing rapidly but that Net Neutrality would limit any incentive to invest in and build more robust data-networks.