FCC Chairman Proposes New Rules to Preserve Net Neutrality

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on September 21, 2009 - 7:57am.

Washington - In a major victory for the concept of "net neutrality," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski on Monday outlined several actions he believes need to take place to "safeguard the free and open Internet," during a speech at The Brookings Institution. Genachowski proposed that the FCC, which previously had embraced four open Internet principles that guide its enforcement of communications law, add two new principles to that list.

The first would prevent Internet access providers from discriminating against particular Internet content or applications, while allowing for "reasonable" network management.

The second would require ISPs to be "transparent" about their network management practices.

"We are here because 40 years ago, a bunch of researchers in a lab changed the way computers interact and, as a result, changed the world," Genachowski told the audience.

"Our work now is to preserve the brilliance of what they contributed to our country and the world. It's to make sure that, in the 21st century, the garage, the basement, and the dorm room remain places where innovators can not only dream but bring their dreams to life. And no one should be neutral about that."

Genachowski said that he will begin work on implementing the new rules during the FCC's meeting next month.

The FCC has launched a new website, OpenInternet.gov, to encourage input from the public.

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-293568A1.pdf (PDF)

http://www.openInternet.gov