A better idea for Net neutralityThe most controversial communications policy topic today is Net neutrality.
This is the notion, peddled actively in Washington by Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Yahoo, along with self-styled "consumer" groups, that broadband network operators such as AT&T and cable operators such as Comcast must not be allowed to discriminate among content providers or favor their own content. The Net neutrality proponents even argue that the nondiscrimination prohibition should apply to wireless and all other technology platforms that deliver Internet access to consumers. Unfortunately, the Net neutrality forces appear to be gathering strength just as the broadband marketplace is becoming vigorously competitive, rendering a new government Internet mandate unnecessary. Adoption of a broad Net neutrality prohibition will impose monopoly-era public-utility-style regulation on new broadband services in an era characterized by competition.
Witness the bill (S. 2360) introduced on March 2 by Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon. His "Internet Non-Discrimination Act of 2006" provides that a network operator "shall not interfere with, block, degrade, alter, modify, impair, or change any bits, content, application or service transmitted over the network of such operator." Nor shall it "discriminate in favor of itself or any other person, including any affiliate or company with such operator has a business relationship in (A) allocating bandwidth; and (B) transmitting content or applications or services to or from a subscriber."