[governance] Net neutrality & IG - a proposal to the IGC

Milton Mueller Mueller at syr.edu
Mon Apr 10 10:22:11 EDT 2006


>>> "Parminder" <parminder at itforchange.net> 4/8/2006 12:50 AM >>>
>Exactly, that's why we framed the debate in terms of 'public-ness' (private
>and public as essentially opposites) and not of just network neutrality
>(NN). 

On the contrary, the beauty of the Internet is that it makes private and public complementary -- i.e., mutually reinforcing -- not "opposites". The Internet is composed overwhelmingly of privately owned physical networks that use the public, open, nonproprietary standards and protocols to interoperate. Additionally, the internet is configured in a way that permits developers of private services, applications and content the freedom to innovate and to reach anyone via universal connectivity.

To pose a dichotomy between "public" ( = good) and "private" ( = bad) is to fundamentally misapprehend what the Internet is and what will continue to make it a success. To assert only one of these principles to the exclusion of the other is destructive of its potential. 

The meaning of NN in this context is not entirely clear. At its best, Net Neutrality is about maintaining that complementary relationship and protecting it against certain (real or imagined) threats. At its worst, it is a rather unproductive replay of the US model of regulated unbundling of networks, which devolved into microregulation and court battles. I prefer discussions to revolve around concepts of "nondiscrimination", but admit that NN is a better PR term. Given the rootedness of these issues in domestic telecom policy laws, regulations and institutions, however, I am confused as to how a nonbinding global discussion forum would be able to make a contribution in this area. 




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