A Legislative Framework on Net Neutrality

As the debate over broadband regulation rages on, a recent Washington Post editorial urges Congress to enact legislation that ensures continued private investment in upgrading networks. The article urges legislators to balance broadband providers' need for flexibility in network management with consumers' right to access all content that they want. According to the Post:

Any action in this area will require compromise. The stakes on all sides are high. For providers, investing in additional capacity is costly, and the flexibility to shape traffic is a prized commodity; for Internet users, having equal ease of access to all content has been perceived as a basic right.

The Post editorial acknowledges that the nature of the oversight needed to protect consumers will evolve as the Internet changes. Therefore, the FCC should have "clearly limited power to take action against anti-competitive violations, rather than encumbering this vital sector with detailed and prescriptive regulation."

The Communications Workers of America supports a legislative solution that clarifies the FCC's role in ensuring an open Internet and universal broadband access.

How the FCC can best regulate the Internet (Washington Post)

Why the FCC's authority over broadband must be clarified by Congress (Speed Matters)