In early November, Obama publically announced his suggestion for the future of the internet: making it a public utility with equal access for all. Word for word, he actually said,
“More than any other invention of our time, the Internet has unlocked possibilities we could just barely imagine a generation ago. And here’s a big reason we’ve seen such incredible growth and innovation: Most Internet providers have treated Internet traffic equally. That’s a principle known as “net neutrality” — and it says that an entrepreneur’s fledgling company should have the same chance to succeed as established corporations, and that access to a high school student’s blog shouldn’t be unfairly slowed down to make way for advertisers with more money.”
Obama hits the nail on the head, and everything he says there is true. The biggest question is whether he will make it happen or if it, like his promise to not sign the NDAA with the indefinitely detention clause, is simply beautifully assembled mirrors with a little smoke. All in all, his proposal and terms sound good, but as he himself mentions: it is up to the FCC to make it all happen.
What the FCC actually does is partially dependant on public responses, corporate pressure, and the personality of the regulators. We can certainly effect the decision by encouraging public discourse and contacting our representatives.
In case anyone missed how this discussion started, here is The Juice Media with a rap-the-news segment about it:
Obama And The Future of Net Neutrality
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