Congress should ensure Internet Providers don't Play Favorites

CONGRESS SHOULD ENSURE INTERNET PROVIDERS DON'T PLAY FAVORITES
[SOURCE: Anchorage Daily News, AUTHOR: Editorial Staff]
[Commentary] Advocates of wide-open access to the nation's information superhighway are at odds with Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. They're worried that congressional update of the 1996 Telecommunications Act will allow companies that control Internet connections to play favorites with the content they deliver. Sen. Stevens chairs the key Senate committee on the issue, Commerce, and he does not share their concern. The advocates point out that Internet providers are free to fast-track content from favored Web sites or companies, while slowing down transmissions from everybody else. To prevent those abuses, the access advocates want the new federal law to ensure "net neutrality." That's shorthand for saying Internet companies can't discriminate in delivering content to your computer. Net neutrality is hardly a heavy-handed government intrusion into the free-wheeling world of the Internet. It is a simple antitrust rule that protects consumers by keeping Internet companies from exploiting their control over connections. Congress should get ahead of the curve and ensure net neutrality before abuses begin to spread. BOTTOM LINE: Net neutrality is a good idea. Sen. Ted Stevens should support it.
http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/8156658p-8049486c.html

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