Net Neutrality for Dummies: Will the FCC control the Internet?

Al Gore says that legislation ensuring "net neutrality" is "needed for the revitalization of American democracy."

Techno-vegan Moby says without it, the "egalitarian" Internet would disappear.

Even Mallory from Family Ties, Justine Bateman, thinks "the freedom to access the site of any organization from Planned Parenthood to the Christian Coalition is going to end."

But just what the hell is net neutrality—and is all that is good and holy about the Internet really imperiled if legislation guaranteeing it isn't passed?

Network neutrality is necessary, say its supporters, to make certain that all data on the Internet is treated equally and to protect users from information discrimination on the part of Internet service providers who will slow down or even block access to certain sites.

Reason.tv's Michael C. Moynihan takes a skeptical look at the growing push for net neutrality legislation and asks Peter Suderman, a Reason associate editor who is closely following proposals on the topic, why Moby and Mallory want the Federal Communication Commission, of all agencies, to regulate the Internet.

Approximately 4 minutes. Written by Moynihan. Shot and edited by Dan Hayes and Meredith Bragg.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• net neutrality
• al gore
• justine bateman
• moby
• comcast
• att
• time-warner
• ISP
• eddie vedder
• internet
• peter suderman
• michael c. moynihan
• dan hayes
• meredith bragg
• reason.tv
• reason.com
• reason.org
• reason magazine
• reason foundation

[MyNameIsBucket]

YEAH! If Comcast wants to throttle my bandwidth, I'll just take my money to Verizon! Oops, Verizon is throttling my bandwidth too. And those two are the only networks in town. Well, I guess my only options are to support the oligopoly or live in a cave. YAY CONSUMER POWER!

[ROMaster02]

@reddenc028 Because the government has done better, huh?

[reddenc028]

So your suggestion is that the market should decide whether the internet should remain open and unregulated? Because corporations have done such a great job of doing what's right for the public so far? Brilliant.

[saper321]

@dissturbbed

Well all I can say is that big government is preventing me from marrying my corporation.

[dissturbbed]

@saper321 Who is going to stop the corporations from screwing the internet up when you only have one choice of a broadband service provider, I ONLY have ONE. While we are at it why dont we deregulate everything how about the housing market..OOPS bad idea. How about we deregulate the stock market...OOPS..i forgot about the stock crash of 29. Lets even go a step further, lets get rid of health regulations, labor laws, pollution laws, and etc. CORPORATIONS WOULD LOVE US SAPER.

[saper321]

@dissturbbed

Who is going to get involved when FCC will do that. You? Do you think your mean letters & single vote will stop President Sarah Obama the 2nd from "fighting crime" on the Internets.

[saper321]

Message to government toadies.

Internet is NOT Vietnam. We don't have to carpet bomb it in order to save it.



[dissturbbed]

@saper321 tell that to comcast who already throttled torrents and would have killed them altogether if it wasnt for the FCC getting involved

[saper321]

@paladin0322

Free speech is alive and well on the internet. on the net you can see and read the most OUTRAGES, DISGUSTING, FUCKED UP SHIT.

Show me TV channel with similar content. Now guess which medium is controlled by FCC.

I rest my case.

[saper321]

@dissturbbed

Yeah like Obama & FCC are going to let you use them torrent sites. Stop kidding yourself. No government control AKA free market chaos is your best bet for torrent survival.