Net Neutrality Finds A ChampionNet Neutrality Finds A Champion

Just when I was gloomily thinking that the only politicians interested in net neutrality were those being paid by telcos and cable companies to bury it, something really unusual has happened: A senator has stepped forward to champion the interests of citizens rather than corporate lobbyists. Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, says he's introducing legislation to prohibit Internet network operators from charging companies for faster delivery of their content to Internet users.Wyden calls his bill the Internet Non-Discrimination Act of 2006, according to a story in Thursday's New York Times. (You may not be able to see the full article without registering on the site.)

Senator Wyden isn't going to make himself popular with the telcos, bless him, but he's never seemed to care much. He's a friend of the Internet, sponsoring the Internet tax moratorium extension passed in 2004.

The Times story takes passing note of two very interesting issues that that Wyden's bill addresses. One is the vertical integration of content providers and network carriers: Tme Warner Cable, he told the newspaper, should not be able to give other Time Warner companies better access to the network than their rivals.

The other issue is the role of the Federal Communications Commission, which under its two most recent chairmen, Michael Powell and Kevin Martin, has often seemed to be the bondservant of the corporations that dominate telecommunications, rather than their master. The Times article drily notes that the FCC has "largely stood on the sidelines" as the net neutrality issue has emerged. Wyden's bill would force the commission onto the record by requiring it to hold hearings on written complaints. "If the FCC accepts the complaint, the burden of proof is on the network operator to show it did not violate the law. The FCC must reach a decision in 90 days. The penalties are the same as those in the Communications Act, and the potential fines are stiff enough to encourage compliance," said the senator's announcement.

It's a brave start, and a good one. I wish him — and all of us who love the Internet — much luck in the fight.