FTC seeks middle ground in Net neutrality feud

FTC SEEKS MIDDLE GROUND IN NET NEUTRALITY FEUD
[SOURCE: ZDNet, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
Federal consumer protection officials on Tuesday indicated they're not ready to side with fans or foes of contentious Net neutrality regulations and said a middle-ground approach may be preferable. Speaking on the first day of a workshop on broadband competition, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Deborah Platt Majoras and Commissioner Jon Leibowitz both spoke of the need to break through what they portrayed as extreme rhetoric lobbed by both sides of the issue before making any policy decisions. Airing disparate views was the purpose of the FTC's forum, which is slated to continue on Wednesday and to feature some three dozen speakers over the two days from industry, interest groups and academia. After vetting comments from those panelists and the public, an FTC task force focused on Internet access plans to issue a report about its conclusions on the direction broadband policy should be headed.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6159104.html
* FTC Wants 'More Facts' On 'Network Neutrality'
[SOURCE: Technology Daily 2/13, AUTHOR: Andrew Noyes]
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-PKYH1171569120327.html

See also --
* Direct Marketers Make Pitch for Network Neutrality
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Direct-response marketers made their pitch for network neutrality at a Federal Trade Commission forum in Washington Tuesday. Barbara Tulipane, president of the Electronic Retailing Association, argued that, while network owners should be able to charge for non-Internet-related broadband applications like video, the Internet should remain "open." Like other content providers, marketers are concerned they might have to start paying a premium for fast pipe over which to pitch their goods and services. She also argued that allowing networks to prioritize content based on content "will result in a closed network and will stifle the innovation of both large and small e-retailers."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6416154.html?display=Breaking...