Three Minds On Digital Marketing @ Organic

Photo credit: violinha @ Flickr

Network neutrality in the US is a contentious issue with a long and detailed history. President Obama is a strong supporter of the principle, while the Bush administration saw it as "regulatory restraints [which] can inefficiently skew investment, delay innovation and diminish consumer welfare." But the whole idea behind "network neutrality" is to ensure a neutral broadband network that is free of restrictions on content, sites, or platforms, and on the modes of communication allowed. In other words, to ensure that broadband providers or others don't unnecessarily get to restrict access to the network.

In his campaign for president, Barack Obama promised to overturn the Bush administration's stand against net neutrality. Last week, all five members of the FCC voted to begin writing new net neutrality regulations. The rules, opposed by the majority of Republicans in Congress, will prohibit all broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain kinds of Internet traffic.

It seems that according to the Republicans, "government regulation" can never be good - not even when it is to ensure neutrality and free access. And it sounds like senator John McCain is on a personal mission against net neutrality. He calls it a "government takeover" of the Internet.

In the meanwhile, in Finland the government's going the opposite direction. They just declared access to a broadband Internet connection with a minimum speed of 1 Mbps (by 2015, it'll be expanded to 100 Mbps) a legal right. Yes, a legal right similar to access to clean water. That may sound a bit extreme, but really what it means is that the Finnish government wants to guarantee "that all members of the public and companies, regardless of location, will have an opportunity to use information society services."

No, the government there won't pay for anybody's Internet connection, no, they're not raising taxes because of the new law, and yes, Finland's a market economy. They just want to set the same standard for everyone. I think their take on net neutrality is more likely to increase innovation than the Republican stand on the issue in the US. What are your thoughts?

Karri Ojanen