FCC Hearing on Net Neutrality

Davis Media Access tracks a variety of public policy issues affecting community media and the larger media landscape. DMA’s Programming Manager Alex Silva-Sadder joined hundreds of other media advocates Sept. 24 for an FCC hearing on net neutrality held at the State Capitol.

Net Neutrality is a public policy issue protesting allowing paid prioritization over other Internet traffic, purely based on commercial considerations, rather than treating all net traffic in a neutral manner. The debate also includes discussion about removing the exemption from common carrier regulations broadband providers currently enjoy, and returning them to a Title II classification.  This would allow the FCC to exercise existing regulatory authority over telecommunications common carriers and enforce net neutrality rules.  

The forum was organized by Representative Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, and featured FCC commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel, along with Catherine Sandoval, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission; Rivkah Sass, Library Director, Sacramento Public Library; Chris Kelly, Founder, Kelly Investments, former Chief Privacy Officer & General Counsel, Facebook, Minority Owner, Sacramento Kings; David Lowe, President & General Manager, KVIE Public Television; and Melissa Rosenberg, Member, Writers Guild of America, West.

There were two purposes to the forum. One was for the FCC to solicit input from various parties in CA who are interested in Net neutrality, and how various rule- making options might affect the services and products many Californians have come to depend on everyday. The Second was to explain Rep. Matsui and Senator Patrick Leahy bill - H.R. 4880 & Sen. 2476, “The Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act.” 

In a morning full of testimony and comments, Alex writes that the CPUC commentary was most informative. Commissioner Sandoval pointed out how many public service and safety programs are delivered entirely or in part via Internet services. Allowing paid prioritization was seen as potentially grave problem.  Many public safety control systems (such as management of the power grid) rely on Internet not just for control traffic that directly commands operational systems, but also for free and open communications in the event of a crisis.   Knowledge of what is going on and what needs to be done is seen as essential to prevent catastrophes from either striking or being exacerbated. The CPUC expressed support for net neutrality regulation in one form or another.

For more information about Net Neutrality, we recommend http://www.freepress.net/net-neutrality-resources