FCC: We're Going to Make Net Neutrality the Law [Net Neutrality via Gizmodo]

Well, that was pretty quick. Following weeks of hints, clues and noisy corporate whining, the FCC has laid out their plan: Following a public vetting process, they're cracking down on all things not neutral.

The event is still happening, but they got right to the meat. Here are the proposed guidelines—the first four are old, and the latter two, the ones that matter, are new:

Under the draft rules, subject to reasonable network management, a provider of broadband Internet access service may not:

1) prevent any of its users from sending or receiving the lawful content of the user's choice over the Internet;

2) prevent any of its users from running the lawful applications or using the lawful services of the user's choice;

3) prevent any of its users from connecting to and using on its network the user's choice of lawful devices that do not harm the network;

4) deprive any of its users of the user's entitlement to competition among network providers, application providers, service providers, and content providers.

5) A provider of broadband Internet access service must treat lawful content, applications, and services in a nondiscriminatory manner.

6) A provider of broadband Internet access service must disclose such information concerning network management and other practices as is reasonably required for users and content, application, and service providers to enjoy the protections specified in this rulemaking

Now, this is just a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, so it's not yet an actual, binding rule; this is the stage where the FCC seeks public comment on their proposal, after which they adjust (or not!) accordingly.

What's important, though, is that this is what they intend to do, which is fantastic for net neutrality proponents, if not, you know, objectively fantastic. [FCC]

Send an email to John Herrman, the author of this post, at jherrman@gizmodo.com.

via feeds.gawker.com

Posted via web from Firesaw on posterous