WASHINGTON, DC—This week, news broke that the Federal Communications Commission Chairman (FCC) is considering a “hybrid” proposal to establish net neutrality rules. While full details have yet to be revealed, the proposal aims to separate the “retail last-mile” Internet, where consumers connect, from the “back-end” Internet, where content providers and ISPs exchange data. This arrangement may create loopholes with regard to accessibility, and is unproven in terms of legal defensibility.
The following statement is attributed to Casey Rae, VP for Policy at Future of Music Coalition (FMC), a national non-profit research, education and advocacy organization for musicians.
“We appreciate the effort the FCC has put into devising new rules to preserve an open Internet for content creators and innovators. However, net neutrality advocates care less about how slick the rules are, and more about whether they’ll stand up in court.
“Because last time they didn’t.
“The vast majority of Americans want an Internet that works for everyone, and not just the biggest companies. Millions of us are on record supporting the reclassification of broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act. Title II makes use of a longstanding principle in communications policy known as ‘common carriage.’ This is not some radical idea. It’s been around since railway trains and it’s the reason why when you pick up the phone to call your grandmother, you don’t have to wait for the rich people to finish talking first.
“The Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled in a 2005 case that the FCC has the authority to reclassify broadband, provided that their justification for doing so isn’t ‘arbitrary or capricious.’ And there’s nothing arbitrary or capricious about making sure that giant companies like Comcast aren’t allowed to pick winners and losers online.
“Thousands of musicians and independent labels have made the case for real net neutrality to the FCC going back to 2007. And many of us have been raising concerns about a pay-to-play Internet even before that. The courts have said the FCC has the authority; they simply need to exercise it under the proper legal framework. That framework is Title II.
“We have come incredibly far as a community, with the vast majority of the nearly four million public comments at the FCC in support of Title II. There is no downside to continuing to call for reclassification, especially with such full-throated support across every conceivable demographic.
“We don’t want clever net neutrality. We want real net neutrality.”
Rock the Net
http://futureofmusic.org/issues/campaigns/rock-net
Future of Music Coalition is a national non-profit education, research and advocacy organization that seeks a bright future for creators and listeners. FMC works towards this goal through continuous interaction with its primary constituency — musicians — and in collaboration with other creator/public interest groups. More