Google Under Fire in Net Neutrality Protest
June / Court Reporter
Protesters rallied outside Google’s California headquarters to protest about controversial proposals to alter how traffic is transported across the internet. Both Google, and partners Verizon, want to create a tier system where wireless data is categorized and treated differently as it crosses the internet. This would allow internet service providers to give priority to certain types of traffic, and charge more for it.
Protesters interviewed outside Google’s “Googleplex” building said they were concerned that this proposal would create a “pay-to-play” service allowing ISP’s to charge more for certain types of traffic. They were urging Google to live up to its infamous motto “Don’t’ be evil.”
The internet giant unveiled their proposal this week alongside the telephone company Verizon. They suggest an open net for “wireline” services but suggest loopholes for wireless and what they called “differentiated” content. Critics say this will undermine the principle of net neutrality where everything is treated equally, and allow for discriminatory pricing and traffic shaping.
“Companies like Google have benefited from a free and open internet and their plan will destroy that,” said James Rucker of ColorofChange.org, one of those taking part in the event. “Whether you are a blogger, an entrepreneur, a journalist or someone trying to organize a community, the internet is precious. We all want to stand together to ensure it is protected for the future. We would expect Google to take leadership in making that happen, not be on the front line of undoing that.”
The announcement came after the Federal communications Commission had held private talks with ISPs on the subject of net neutrality in an attempt to resolve the issue over its power. The FCCs power was called into question when it tried to sanction Comcast for traffic shaping. The court ruled the FCC didn’t have the right to dictate how a company performed it’s business.
The two-page, seven-point plan is nothing to get worried about, until you get to the bottom where there is the sentence that’s causing all the fuss. “Prioritization of internet traffic would be presumed inconsistent with the non-discrimination standard, but the presumption could be rebutted.” The grounds for such a rebuttal are marked by their absence, as is the name of the agency who would negotiate such an argument. With the FCC now toothless, there is doubt about the impartiality of any other body.
Facebook has joined the movement for net neutrality in a statement from Inside Facebook. Andrew Noyes, head of public policy communications said “Facebook continues to support principles of net neutrality for both landline and wireless networks.”
Wireless is seen as the way forward for network into the future. By this thinly veiled threat of traffic shaping and a tiered data system, Google and Verizon have brought a lot of attention onto themselves, and not in a good way. The future of this proposal, and the ability of the FCC to police it are still yet to be decided. However, the lines are drawn and it will be interesting to see how this situation evolves.
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