Why an Open Internet

Openness is a Fundamental Principle of the Internet

Internet openness (network neutrality) means that users are in control of where to go and what to do online, and broadband providers do not discriminate among lawful Internet content or applications. This is the fundamental principle of the Internet's design. It shouldn't matter whether you're visiting a mainstream media website or an individual's blog, sending emails or purchasing a song. The phone and cable companies that provide you with access to the Internet should route all traffic in a neutral manner, without blocking, speeding up, or slowing down particular applications or content.

The Benefits of the Open Internet

• Internet Openness Empowers Consumers. Users decide what content and applications they want to access, and everyone can speak and create online, without having to get permission first.

• Internet Openness Drives Innovation and Economic Growth. The Internet is an open platform where everyone can innovate and compete. New entrants and established players can reach Internet users on an equal footing. Even the smallest entrepreneur with an Internet connection can make new applications and content available to everyone else. This has resulted in an unprecedented and historic creation of new jobs and growth.

• Internet Openness Encourages Broadband Deployment. An open Internet encourages greater innovation by developers and content creators. This drives additional consumer demand for faster broadband networks, thereby creating economic incentives for broadband providers to upgrade and expand their networks.

Internet Openness Is At Risk

• Legal safeguards protected network neutrality during the Internet's first three decades, promoting the dramatic expansion of Internet services, apps, and websites which generated billions in investment and many thousands of new jobs.

• In 2005, these protections were stripped away, and some Internet access providers have already started discriminating against certain applications. For example, in 2007 Comcast was caught blocking Bittorrent, which is used by competing video providers, and AT&T has restricted Internet telephony and video services on its wireless network.

• The large phone and cable companies who provide access to the Internet have the incentive and ability to create a special fast lane for big companies that can afford to pay steep tolls, while everyone else is left in a digital dirt road. With a lack of choices in broadband providers, consumers lack the ability to check bad behavior.

Six Principles for Internet Openness

The Federal Communications Commission has started a process to codify six narrowly tailored rules legally binding to once again protect the open Internet. Four of these were first adopted by Republican Chairman Kevin Martin in 2005. Chairman Julius Genachowski has proposed two additional principles to cover non-discrimination and transparency. The rules state that subject to reasonable network management, a provider of broadband Internet access service….

(1) ...may not prevent any of its users from sending or receiving the lawful content of the user’s choice over the Internet.
(2)…may not prevent any of its users from running the lawful applications or using the lawful services of the user’s choice…
(3)…may not prevent any of its users from connecting to and using on its network the user’s choice of lawful devices that do not harm the network.
(4) …may not deprive any of its users of the user’s entitlement to competition among network providers, application providers, service providers, and content providers.
(5) …must treat lawful content, applications, and services in a nondiscriminatory manner. (proposed)
(6) …must disclose such information concerning network management and other practices as is reasonably required for users and content, application, and service providers to enjoy the protections specified in this part. (proposed)

Take Action to Protect an Open Internet

Millions of consumers -- along with Web companies, librarians, technologists, content creators, civil rights groups, non-profits, universities, and many others -- all support the FCC taking action to protect an open Internet to ensure it will continue to serve as a free and competitive marketplace for expression, ideas and commerce. If you're interested in voicing your support, contact the Open Internet Coalition - info@openinternetcoalition. To learn more, visit openinternetcoalition.com.