The U.S. Court of Appeals ruling on net neutrality last week has implications for the future of the Internet.
In a unanimous 3-0 decision, the court ruled the Federal Communications Commission does not have the authority to regulate Comcast and force it to comply with net neutrality.
Net neutrality, or network neutrality, is the principle that all similar Internet content must be treated alike and move at the same speed over the network. The owners of the Internet cannot discriminate between activity that requires more network bandwidth use, according to the Internet Society Web site.
In a statement from the FCC, Commissioner Michael Copps said the decision “is not just a blow to the FCC — it’s a blow to all Americans who rely on an open Internet that serves all
comers without discrimination.”
In another statement from the FCC, Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said, “I look forward to working with my colleagues and industry to ensure that we are able to protect consumers and cultivate a vibrant Internet ecosystem where economic and social opportunities can continue to flourish.”
For Internet freedom advocates and Internet companies, the ruling is good news.
“Comcast remains committed to the FCC’s existing open Internet principles, and we will continue to work constructively with this FCC as it determines how best to increase broadband adoption and preserve an open and vibrant Internet,” according to a Comcast press release.
Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Coordinator Rebecca Jeschke said it was important the FCC didn’t get the control to regulate the Internet.
“On the Internet, anyone with a message can get a worldwide audience,” Jeschke said. “If there’s an interference, it could take that freedom away.”
The ruling is bad news for consumers, Free Press spokesperson Liz Rose said.
“Companies can’t be gatekeepers,” Rose said. “They shouldn’t have control over the Internet. It’s important for the government to step up for consumers.”
University graduate student Toby Ehrenkranz said network neutrality is a complex issue.
“Network neutrality is about making sure everything on the Internet is accessible for everyone and companies are not restricting access,” Ehrenkranz said. “The Internet was created on the foundation of being free and open. To stifle freedom and neutrality will stifle the growth of the Internet as a whole.”
Comcast and the FCC have butted heads in the past. In 2007, Comcast broke connections between users by interfering with peer-to-peer applications that allowed file-sharing. Comcast violated the FCC’s policy statement that prohibited discrimination.
In 2008, the FCC ordered Comcast to stop interfering with file-sharing traffic. Comcast challenged this order, and a ruling found that Comcast violated federal Internet policy in the way it chose to manage congestion on its network.
The FCC will be taking comments from the public on the most recent ruling until April 26.

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