The Four Internet Freedoms
Broadband network neutrality: Advocates push for policy
Recently FCC Chairman Michael Copps advocated a market approach to preserving four Internet freedoms. (Preserving Internet Freedom: Guiding Principles For The Industry PDF. Remarks of
Michael K. Powell
Chairman, Federal Communications Commission
At the
Silicon Flatirons Symposium on
ÒThe Digital Broadband Migration:
Toward a Regulatory Regime for the Internet AgeÓ
University of Colorado School of Law
Boulder, Colorado
February 8, 2004).
- Freedom to Access Content.
- Freedom to Use Applications.
- Freedom to Attach Personal Devices.
- Freedom to Obtain Service Plan Information.
The debate over the need for a government policy continued at a recent Consumer Federation of America event.
“Entrenched interests are already jockeying to constrain the openness that has been the Internet’s defining hallmark, and they are lobbying the FCC to aid and abet them.” — FCC Commissioner Michael Copps.
The Internet’s philosophy is “bring your ideas and if your ideas are great we will allow them to flourish, not bring your lobbyists and if your lobbyists are powerful enough we will get the government to protect your particular business model.”
– Lawrence Lessig, Internet law professor and author of the new book Free Culture
Many examples of attempts to block Internet content exist, and in many cases, those trying to block content are focusing their efforts on the transmission capabilities of the Internet. — Vinton Cerf, co-designer of TCP/IP