The internet must remain free and open

[Op-ed] National debates too often miss the reality on the ground in Alaska, and that reality is at the forefront of my mind when I’m considering the current debate about Net Neutrality. I strongly support a free and open internet and agree with those concerned about internet service providers prioritizing one website’s traffic over another’s or throttling access to certain content. I also believe and prefer Congress, not an executive agency like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), should legislate protections for the internet. However, I am relatively agnostic about how we protect consumer access to the internet. My goal is to protect a free and open internet for all Americans. But my primary concern is what legislation or regulation really means to Alaskans on the ground, especially to those in communities without meaningful access to broadband. I continue to ask how we can protect and prioritize telemedicine and tele-education in broadband constrained communities in rural Alaska if regulation or legislation bans prioritization. A ban on an internet service provider prioritizing one website’s traffic over another may make sense in Anchorage and the Lower 48. But it makes no sense to slow down the connection for a behavioral health specialist doing a consultation or a classroom skyping in a teacher when the bandwidth in a community is limited because all traffic has to be treated equally. We absolutely have to protect the innovation and open environment on the internet that has delivered prosperity and growth across our economy, and I am working with my colleagues to best identify how to do that. But any lasting “fix” must provide for the unique challenges we face in Alaska.

[Sen Lisa Murkowski represents Alaska in the US Senate]