US President Barack Obama on Monday decided to regulate the Internet as a public service and prohibit the creation of priority channels and faster, a position held by activists and criticized by providers of network access, convinced that these measures would harm innovation.
Obama was in favor of stronger rules that defend the “net neutrality” in a message to the FCC Communications (FCC), an independent body which provides soon make a decision on how to regulate the Internet.
The principle of “net neutrality” holds that should not be allowed to suppliers Internet blocking or reducing access to certain websites, nor design a “fast channel” that allows faster access content whose creators have previously paid a fee to the provider company.
Obama said that the final decision rests solely with the FCC, with Democratic and Republican commissioners, not the White House, but said that the Internet should be designed and regulated as an “essential for the economy” core public service, US. UU. and “significant democratizing influence.”
“We can not allow service providers internet restrict better access and choose winners and losers in the market for services and ideas online” Obama said in a statement.
That’s the idea shared by many activists and large Internet companies like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Twitter and Yahoo.
The group asks the FCC to classify Internet as a public utility service under the Communications Act of 1934, which would ensure that it can be regulated in the same way that electricity, for example, and give the commission’s authority in banning practices such as the imposition of “tolls”.
Obama claimed that the FCC decision respected four pillars, including prohibiting providers from blocking content, prevent “intentionally slow some content or accelerate other” and increase transparency regarding all points between ISPs.
The last pillar involves prohibit the creation of fast channels, as according to Obama, “no service should be stuck in a” slow channel “because it does not pay a fee.”
“That performance as guardians (one channel or another) would undermine the level playing competition that is essential for the growth of the internet. So you ask an explicit prohibition of prioritization (content) with payment, “said
.
Obama’s position was immediately rejected by the two major Internet providers in the US, Comcast and Verizon, in addition to a major lobbyist in this industry, CTIA;. and President of the House, Republican John Boehner
“The net neutrality is a clear example of the Washington regulations that destroy innovation and entrepreneurship. Federal bureaucrats should not be in the business of regulating internet, now or ever, “Boehner said.
Verizon also warned that imposing regulation Act, 1934 Internet” threaten competition and innovation “in the network and generate claims that” probably “lead to its invalidation in the courts.
In addition, the company continued in a statement, that measure is” free “because” FCC already has sufficient authority “right now to adopt rules against creating fast channels.
Similarly, Comcast said the White House-backed policy” would jeopardize the creation engine jobs, investment and innovation cycle that generated internet. “
In May, the FCC issued a proposal which approached the possibility that providers charged for priority access to the network and has since received more than 4 million public comments on the matter.
The FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, said Monday in a statement that he also opposes the creation of fast channels, but said the idea of classifying the Internet as a public service raises complicated legal questions.
“We must take the time to do things right,” Wheeler, who initially promised a final decision noted but this year, according to media reports, is now considering delaying the verdict of the FCC until 2015.
Reuters
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