Title:
New Proposals Intensify Debate on Net Neutrality
Description: This is
a VOA Special English Economics Report.
See text below
Text:
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
"Information wants to be free," the saying goes. But
the debate over net neutrality could define how free
the exchange of information is going to be in the
future.
Net neutrality is the idea that everything on the
Internet should be treated equally. That sounds
simple. But the issue is a complex mix of technical,
business, political and legal questions.
In the United States, communication law is enforced
by the Federal Communications Commission. Since two
thousand five, the FCC has used four policy
principles to guide its enforcement in cases related
to the Internet.
The policy statement says consumers must be able to
get the lawful content, applications and services of
their choice. Users must also be able to connect
their choice of devices that are legal and do not
harm the network. Another principle supports
competition.
In September, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski
proposed two more. One would say Internet providers
could not discriminate against content or
applications. The other would require that they
explain how they manage their networks. The FCC
chairman also wants to extend all six principles to
wireless carriers now that their phones access the
Internet. And he wants to make the principles into
rules. In October, he will seek to begin the
process, which starts with collecting public
comment.
The new proposals have roots in disputes involving
two companies. In two thousand seven, Verizon
refused to make it easier for an abortion rights
group to send text messages to its supporters.
Verizon said it did not accept programs on issues
like abortion or war, but it quickly changed its
decision.
And last year, a divided FCC ruled against Comcast
for interfering with traffic to a lawful music and
video sharing site. At first, Comcast denied it, but
then defended its actions as "reasonable network
management." Critics said Comcast was trying to
block competition with its cable video programming.
Chairman Genachowski says a "free and open Internet"
must be safeguarded. But providers say they
sometimes have to block sites to prevent abuse. And
a big wireless carrier, AT&T, calls extending the
net neutrality policy "a risky experiment" with
American investment in high-speed Internet.
There is also debate about the desire of some
Internet providers to offer special treatment to
sites willing to pay for it. That goes against the
custom of treating all sites neutrally.
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report.
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Hi. I
personally reviewed this video and found it appropriate for
the news section of English Global Group. This
is a Voice of America video which covers an interesting
topic in Special English. I would appreciate some feedback from both
students and teachers about this video. You can comment in
the window below using any of a number of different services
including Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail.
