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 â€œmanagement.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) deep packet inspection and advertising;

(2) the effect of network neutrality on for-profit and non-profit online video providers;

(3) freedom of speech and the application of the First Amendment in network neutrality debates;

(4) the economics of network neutrality.

To some extent, these four topics interact and overlapâ€”each informs the other topics.

The panel included:

David D. Clark, Senior Research Scientist, MIT

David Reed, Adj. Professor, MIT Media Lab

Barry Steinhardt, Director, Technology & Liberty Program, ACLU

Dean Jansen, Outreach Director, Miro Internet TV

W. Scott McCollough, Counsel, Data Foundry, Inc.

Moderator: Marvin Ammori, General Counsel, Free Press