Internet firms back net neutrality

Online firms back net neutrality

After last months news that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wanted to implement new rules that would force internet firms to respect the principle of "network neutrality" and ensure that "all web traffic (would) be treated equally", comes news that the proposal has been backed by some of the biggest companies on the web.

In a letter of support to the FCC, chief executives of Google, Ebay, Skype, Facebook, Amazon and Sony Electronics among others, says that maintaining data neutrality helps businesses to compete on the basis of content alone.

It has been an ongoing debate between online companies and telecommunication companies, with the latter calling for a two-tiered system, where those that can pay are given priority over those that cannot. However, the FCC has said such a system is insufficient considering that many firms dominate bandwidth with large media services such as streaming video. Instead, they feel an 'open internet', where all data is treated equally is a more realistic and achievable situation.

Supporting neutrality

The online companies seem to agree, stating in their letter that, "an open internet fuels a competitive and efficient marketplace, where consumers make the ultimate choices about which products succeed and which fail.

"This allows businesses of all sizes, from the smallest start-up to larger corporations, to compete, yielding maximum economic growth and opportunity."

Other signatories included community websites Digg, Flickr, LinkedIn and Craigslist.

With the power of these companies and even The White House behind the scheme, it is hoped that network neutrality will be forthcoming in the near future. Julius Genachowski, FCC chairman, has previously said, "There are few goals more essential in the communications landscape than preserving and maintaining an open and robust internet."

"It is vital that the internet continue to be an engine of innovation, economic growth, competition and democratic engagement."

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