Greed powers foes of ‘net neutrality’

It’s all about the money. How many times have we heard that? Unfortunately, in the case of the “net neutrality” debate, it’s this timeless concept that is driving opposition to LD 1675.

A common misconception is that “net neutrality” represents a fundamental change in the way we access the Internet; in fact, net neutrality has been in place for decades – until last year, when the Federal Communications Commission reversed the policy that required Internet service providers to treat all content providers equally. This week the Maine Legislature’s Utilities and Energy Committee will consider LD 1675, “An Act to Protect Network Neutrality.” LD 1675 does not impose regulations that are new to the Internet; in fact, it seeks merely to preserve the status quo – to compel service providers to continue to operate the way they have since the inception of the Internet.

The door is now open for big telecommunication companies, or “telcos,” to create a “tiered” Internet. Large service providers such as Verizon and AT&T could begin leveraging corporate partnerships with content providers such as PayPal or CNN, blocking or slowing down competing payment services or news sites unless the competitors pay an arbitrary surcharge. Telcos also could block access to sites based on content – for example, because they cast them in a bad light or could cause them to lose money in some way. Clearly this undermines the free market economy, and free speech itself!

As a small-business owner and Web content provider, I am particularly concerned about the elimination of net neutrality. I host Web sites and e-mail addresses for many area businesses, schools and nonprofit organizations. With net neutrality in place, my cost to host a Web site is based purely on how popular the site is (how much bandwidth it consumes) – as it is for virtually every other Web hosting business in every country. If the telcos get their way, however, my cost to host even a small personal site could increase to the point where it is no longer possible for my clients or me to continue to maintain a presence on the Web.

For Web-driven business or e-commerce shops, this would be devastating; even if your business doesn’t rely on the Internet for business, chances are you’re connected – and using services that others provide. If telcos make these changes, you may lose access to or suffer degraded performance from some sites you use daily for business purposes. Additionally, telcos may reprioritize e-mail traffic based on sender or recipient, so e-mail from or to you may be delayed and “bumped” for “more important” people’s e-mails.

Claims that net neutrality will stop investment in Maine’s technology infrastructure simply make no sense – all LD 1675 does is keep things the way they are today. Investment and progress in Maine’s infrastructure has been happening for years just fine; in fact, the nondiscrimination principles that have been in place until recently are part of what has made such innovation possible. To that end, lawmakers should make sure net neutrality safeguards are in place to ensure that future investment in this state’s technology infrastructure are beneficial to all Mainers – not just those who can afford to pay high premiums.

The people with the most to lose if LD 1675 does not pass are the small-business owners, the nonprofits, and any other organizations or individuals that want to continue to be able to have their voices heard at the same volume, or their products and services available with the same ease as those with bottomless pockets.

The Internet is unique – it is the only venue where, currently, every individual, every entity is equal – regardless of size, location or net worth. Big telcos want to change this structure simply because they are greedy – it’s all about the money. Preserving net neutrality principles is good for Maine business and it’s good for the Maine economy – let’s continue to lead the way by ensuring that our children will have the same equal access to the Internet that we have today.

Mike Lerley holds a bachelor of science degree in computer science from the University of Maine in Orono and is the owner of Rent-A-Geek LLC in Augusta.