[governance] FCC Could Drop Filtering For Free Internet Plan

[Guru]

Last month I had made a posting on the  plan of FCC to provide free 
broadband to all in the US 
(http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/arc/governance/2008-12/msg00011.html). One 
controversial aspect of that  plan was that FCC had intended to 'filter' 
the net. There is now an announcement that this provision to filter is 
being dropped (see article below my mail)

At this time, the Indian Parliament is also considering an 'right to 
education bill', the essential feature of which is a guarantee from the 
State that every child will be able to go to school. This is beyond the 
'right to go to school' which suggests that those with resources can. 
Even 60 years after independence, millions of Indian children do not go 
to school, or drop out of school, and not being able to afford primary 
schooling is an important cause. And ensuring all children do go to 
school is an imperative for any society that claims to respect human 
rights ... after all, illiterate/ignorant children and adults are not 
likely to be even aware of many of their rights or of others .. (for 
more on this read John Dewey on democracy and education)

Likewise, if increasingly in todays world, access to the internet can be 
considered an essential part of ones learning and development, then its 
equitable access (meaning that it be available to ALL, not only to those 
who can afford it) is essential to ensuring an inclusive and rights 
oriented information society ...  And the FCC's plans are perhaps even 
more relevant and required in the rest of the world.

In response to my earlier posting, Milton had expressed a fear that "And 
PLEASE note that this is a CENSORED internet, which is precisely what 
some of us fear will be the price of government-provided "internet for 
all." . Well ... the plan has been revised to keep the free internet 
access plan minus the filtering aspect.... so I hope the objection to 
the provision of 'free internet for all' is no longer applicable... And 
if even free market fundamentalists (not intended as a pejorative term) 
agree public provisioning of education on non-market terms is essential 
to a democratic society, especially in developing country contexts, then 
we should accept its extrapolation to the internet as a logical extension.

regards,
Guru

http://www.informationweek.com/news/telecom/regulation/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=NLGSGEISUTUCCQSNDLRSKH0CJUNN2JVN?articleID=212700227&cid=tab_art_tele

FCC Could Drop Filtering For Free Internet Plan

In hopes of getting free wireless broadband passed before he's replaced, 
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said the winner of the AWS-3 spectrum wouldn't 
have to filter adult content.

By Marin Perez
InformationWeek
December 30, 2008 12:59 PM

The Federal Communications Commission's goal of universal Internet 
access may have new life as Chairman Kevin Martin said he has revised 
his proposal for free wireless broadband.

Martin has endorsed auctioning off the Advanced Wireless Services-3 band 
with the winner having to dedicate 25% of the spectrum to provide free 
Internet access. Much to the chagrin of civil liberties groups, Martin's 
plan required the winner to provide a filter for pornographic or other 
inappropriate material.

The chairman has retooled the plan, though, and said he's dropping the 
filtering requirement.

"A lot of public-interest advocates have said they would support this, 
but we're concerned about the filter," Martin told Ars Technica. "Well, 
now there's an item in front of the commissioners and it no longer has 
the filter. And I've already voted for it without the filter now. So, 
it's already got one vote."

The free wireless broadband plan was originally scheduled to be voted on 
earlier this month, but Martin canceled the vote after facing pressure 
from politicians and telecoms. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Rep. 
Henry Waxman, D-Calif., urged Martin to drop the free Internet proposal 
in order for the FCC to focus on the upcoming switchover to digital 
television signals.

The telecoms and ISPs have never been a fan of this proposal, and 
T-Mobile in particular has expressed concern that the free Internet 
would interfere with its service on the nearby AWS-1 spectrum. The CTIA 
has also said the business model for free Internet is doomed to fail, 
pointing to the collapse of municipal Wi-Fi ventures.

Startup M2Z Networks is a major proponent of the free Internet plan, and 
it said the wireless telecoms are just afraid of competition. The 
company said the business model would differ from defunct ad-based free 
services like NetZero by partnering with search companies to utilize 
location-based information for targeted, relevant ads. Additionally, 
since the FCC would require a minimum connection speed of only 768 Kbps, 
the AWS-3 spectrum winner could also offer a premium service at a faster 
connection.

Martin, who will likely be replaced by the incoming Obama 
administration, may get another crack at the free Internet plan at the 
next Open Commission meeting Jan. 15. That meeting's agenda has not been 
set yet, but Martin said the January meeting typically just reports on 
the status of the industry

-- 
Gurumurthy Kasinathan
IT for Change
www.ITforChange.net
Bridging Development Realities and Technological Possibilities
Tel:98454 37730
http://ITforChange.net 
http://India.IS-Watch.net 
http://IS-Watch.net
http://content-commons.in
*IT for Change is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with United Nations' Economic and Social Council*

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