Network Neutrality: Beyond the Slogans
From CFPWiki
Panel Description
Debates over network neutrality have been among the most important in telecom policy for the last several, taking place before the public, the Congress, the Courts, the FTC, and (at the moment primarily) the FCC. Recently, we have seen major violations of network neutrality and a major FCC proceeding on network neutrality and network âmanagement.â
In Washington, DC, debates over network neutrality are often not only contentious, but also unhelpful, if not dishonest. This panel is structured to move beyond particular incidents and the slogans, and to honestly introduce and address some of the potentially hard questions of network neutrality. Some of these questions include: (1) comparative international analysis: an analysis of regulatory structures across a range of nations, and the structuresâ apparent impact on investment, network performance, consumer welfare, and Internet openness; (2) investment analysis: an economic analysis of investment in networks and applications with and without network neutrality rules; (3) freedom of speech and the application of the First Amendment in network neutrality debates; (4) national security: security implications of neutral and non-neutral networks.
To some extent, these four topics interact and overlapâeach informs the other topics. Free speech implicates national security; national security and other social goals inform the investment we seek to encourage; the international analysis helps illuminate answers to each other question.
