Net Neutrality

1
Net Neutrality

• COMP 380 Presentation
• Alex Cook
• Prince Yabani

2
What is Net Neutrality

• A. Sen. Ted Stevens plan for the Internet, which
  is a not a big truck.
• B. The idea of having fair routing of information
  on the Internet
• C. A program designed like a net to capture more
  information from the Internet
• D. Fishing nets that do not discriminate

3
Whats going on here?

• Idea of Net Neutrality
• Free information for everyone
• Net Neutrality regulations
• Key terms
• Packets
• Quality of Service
• Latency

4
Complicated topic

• Not an issue back in the good ol days of the
  Internet
• Some of the original legislation proposed came
  from bipartisan sponsors
• Were going to each argue a position on the
  regulations to show what is at issue

5
Regulations are good!

• Net Neutrality will promote healthy
  economic/business competition.
• Small businesses will be muscled out, by not
  being able to afford tiered services.
• Lack of business competition reduces good quality
  
• A free and open Internet will level the playing
  field for businesses to compete.
• The consumer is able to choose the product they
  want with a free and open internet.

6
Innovation

• Tiered internet will stunt economic growth and
  stifle innovation.
• Tiered internet will add extra cost to online
  businesses cost that will be transferred to
  consumers.
• Upstart innovators will be shut out. Innovations
  like eBay, Google, MySpace, Facebook and YouTube
  wouldnt exist without an open and free internet.
  These websites came from humble beginnings.

7
Net Discrimination

• Tiered internet will bring problems of
  discrimination.
• When network companies have the liberty to
  choosing to make certain data low-priority, there
  is nothing really stopping them from
  discriminating for social, economic or political
  reasons.
• This in unfortunately not hypothetical. It has
  happened before.

8
No regulations!

• They sound like a good idea
• People only object to a two lane highway until
  you point out one slow lane for everyone isnt
  any better.
• Some data shouldnt be treated equally. Yes, you
  read that right.

9
Risks and consequences

• Some people argue that prioritization is just
  another word for degrading your competitor, Gigi
  B. Sohn, president of Public Knowledge.
• That isnt a fair representation of what is
  happening.
• If there were abuses, then regulate. Its not
  needed now.
• Madison River Communication, ISP in North
  Carolina
• Vonage, FCC fines

10
The little guy

• What if larger companies can buy a better QoS
  agreement?
• An ISP that decided to start messing with who
  gets a decent connection would be committing
  market suicide.

11
Well intentioned, but

• Some of the people proposing Net Neutrality
  regulations do not fully understand the
  technology or the consequences of the
  regulations.
• Video
• Data discrimination isnt real discrimination.

12
Mutual agreements

• Information should be easily accessible by anyone
  with an Internet connection
• QoS payola cannot be allowed
• If ISPs start abusing power, then something
  should be done
• Dont make it a partisan issue

13
Questions?