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On Monday February 12 2018 at Noon ET (15:00 UTC) the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy presents  What’s Next For #NetNeutrality? Litigation, Legislation, and the Lay of the Land in Washington DC. In this “fast-paced” lunchtime session a panel of experts, with an array of different perspectives, will provide their perspectives on what’s going on with this dynamic topic, including the latest FCC action, developments on the state level, the prospects for litigation, and possibilities on Capitol Hill. Speakers: Matthew Brill – Partner, Latham & Watkins; Angie Kronenberg – Chief Advocate and General Counsel, INCOMPAS; Chris Lewis – Vice President, Public Knowledge; Berin Szoka – President, TechFreedom. Moderator: Li Zhou – Reporter, Politico Pro. The event will be webcast live on Facebook, and simulcast on the Internet Society Livestream Channel. (No captions)
As you will hopefully be aware, today July 12 is a designated ‘Internet-wide Day of Action‘ with the main purpose of creating sufficient ruckus to make the FCC think twice about rescinding its Open Internet Order.
I write, personally, rather than institutionally, to clarify hopefully the Internet Society’s position on this​,​ which is somewhat nuanced.
​Firstly​, we welcome the day of action, and indeed any activity that raises the awareness of the network and its governance. Secondly, we thoroughly endorse the principles and spirit of openness that drive it.
​That said, there are certain aspects of the Net Neutrality concept and effort ​that give us pause, the main one being the idea that central authorities should tell people how to run their networks. The historical reason the Internet grew, while its peers vanished, was just this lack of control, husbanded by an ad hoc system of organization, exemplified by the IETF, of multistakeholder collaboration. This came to be called, in fact, ‘the Internet model’.
Globally as, increasingly, authoritarian impulses drive attempts to control, or shatter the integrity of, the Internet abound, ISOC’s role to advocate against such efforts is clear. Oe of the main ways we do this, and I recommend a viewing of Kathy Brown’s keynote at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai a couple of weeks back, is to encourage continuing local-driven growth at the edges i.e. community networks. In that speech, Kathy strongly urges cell carriers to support, and open their networks to, traffic from such communities, arguing that the resulting network effects will benefit everyone.
This, I would suggest, is where the struggle lies today, in building sustainable modes of bottom up access to the network, rather than campaigning against yet-to-be manifested horrors of monopolistic manipulation. Fast lanes and slow lanes are beside the point. The rallying cry should be “OPEN THE PIPES!“
Joly, Thank you for your excellent post on Day of Action.
So very important that the open nature of our Internet not be lost, but Verizon and their lawyers prefer to attempt to work to degrade the Internet to become a scarce, costly resource.
They are wrong, the tides of history, technology, evolution are against them. They will lose, but are in process of harming the Internet as they try to undercut progress.
Verizon is using the Federal Communications Commission to continue what we call “astroturfing”.
No honor here for what has become a shambles of a telephone company, as they continue to resist progress. They have lost, perhaps can find survival in becoming a remote alarm company.
On Friday Jan 13 2017 outgoing FCC Chair Tom Wheeler gave his final public address in the post – Communications at a Crossroads: Charting the Course Forward – at the Aspen Institute in Washington DC. He noted the many achievements during his term, including the Open Internet Order. He spoke passionately and forcefully about the importance of strong net neutrality rules to preserve the Open Internet as a platform for free expression and innovation, suggesting that the rules are working well, and that, historically, such constraints were always required on dominant networks. He also emphasized the vital civic role the FCC has to play in protecting privacy and security of US communications. See below:
Last Thursday 6 October 2016 the Geneva Internet Platform presented a webinar Net neutrality in Europe: The BEREC guidelines and beyond. Mr Frode Sørensen, Senior Adviser at Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom) presented an overview of the recently published Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications set of Guidelines on the Implementation by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) of European Network Neutrality Rules. The BEREC guidelines are aimed at assisting national regulatory authorities in implementing their net neutrality-related obligations according to the new EU regulations (2015/2120), including by closely monitoring and ensuring ‘compliance with the rules to safeguard equal and non-discriminatory treatment of traffic in the provision of Internet access services and related end-user rights’. The Guidelines were received with enthusiasm by civil society – some of whom see them as a win for net neutrality in the EU – and with a degree of reticence by telecom operators – some of whom argue that most of their concerns have not been taken into account. Regulators say their guidelines have found a balanced solution within the frames set out by the regulation, indicated by the observation that both camps in the debate seem equally (un)happy. Mr Sørensen provided a snapshot of the BEREC’s net neutrality guidelines, and reflected on their effect on commercial practices such as zero rating, traffic management of internet access services, the issue of specialised services, and the innovation and rights of Internet users, as well as questions raised by the participants. An edited version of the webinar will be streamed at 1pm EDT today Monday October 10 2016 on the Internet Society Livestream Channel
On  March 30 2015 Mobile Monday DC presented Mobility and the Open Internet at Arent Fox LLP in Washington DC assessed how the FCC Open Internet Order will affect the mobile industry. The Order will include, for the first time, obligations and restrictions for wireless carriers. The panel represented a stakeholder cross-section – small carriers, lobbyists, and content/application providers. Speakers: Dan Johnson, VP, Policy, Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA); Jon Potter, President, Application Developers Alliance; Aaron Saunders, CEO, Clearly Innovative; Eric Wolf, VP Technology Strategy & Management, PBS. Moderator: Stephanie Joyce, Arent Fox. The event was webcast live on the Internet Society Livestream Channel. Video is below.
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ensure Internet openness, to prohibit blocking lawful content and non-harmful devices, to prohibit throttling data, to prohibit paid prioritization, to require transparency of network management practices, to provide that broadband shall be considered to be an information service, and to prohibit the Commission or a State commission from relying on section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as a grant of authority.
Video is below. Speaker indexes are available in the YouTube descriptions.
HOUSE HEARING:
View on Youtube: http://youtu.be/uP_dxvXzVwI Transcribe on AMARA: http://www.amara.org/en/videos/21PwAWRTWXm0/ Witnesses: Michael Powell – President and CEO, National Cable & Telecommunications Association; Chad Dickerson – CEO, Etsy; Paul Misener – Vice President of Global Public Policy, Amazon Inc; Jessica Gonzalez – Executive Vice President and General Counsel, National Hispanic Media Coalition; Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee – Vice President and Chief Research and Policy Officer, Minority Media & Telecom Council; Meredith Atwell Baker, President and CEO, CTIA-The Wireless Association
SENATE HEARING:
View on Youtube: http://youtu.be/vefwMem49KM Transcribe on AMARA: http://www.amara.org/en/videos/DwK4KMPgaQWf/ Witnesses: Meredith Attwell Baker – President and CEO, CTIA-The Wireless Association; Gene Kimmelman – President and CEO, Public Knowledge; Robert McDowell – Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute; Paul Misener – Vice President, Global Public Policy, Amazon Inc.; Tom Simmons – Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Midcontinent Communications; Dr. Nicol Turner-Lee – Vice President & Chief Research and Policy Officer, Minority Media & Telecommunications Council
In 2013 the Dynamic Coalition on Network Neutrality has issued a report The Value of Network Neutrality for the Internet of Tomorrow that explores some of the most crucial facets of Network Neutrality, underscoring its close relationship with the full enjoyment of end-users fundamental rights. The report also includes a proposal for a Model Framework on Network Neutrality that has been elaborated by the Dynamic Coalition through an open, inclusive and multi-stakeholder effort, in order to promote an efficient safeguard of the Net Neutrality principle in accordance with international human rights standards.
In 2014 the Dynamic Coalition followed up with its second report Network Neutrality: an Ongoing Regulatory Debate. The report, which includes a preface by Vint Cerf, offers a collection of independent analyses exploring existing and proposed regulatory approaches to net neutrality and scrutinising the economic justifications that support the network neutrality principle.
On Thursday December 11 2014 the Village Independent Democrats presented Tim Wu speaking on “Net Neutrality and You” at the St. John’s Lutheran Church Annex in Greenwich Village NYC. Tim Wu coined the expression “Net Neutrality†– the principle that Internet service providers should offer equal access to all content and applications and equal service to all users. While the Obama administration embraces this concept and considers the internet a public utility, there are powerful lobbies and a Republican-dominated Congress that could block or severely modify Net Neutrality. Professor Wu’s talk explained how net neutrality benefits American consumers and the American economy. The talk was webcast live by ISOC-NY via YouTube. HD video is below
Today Thursday 20 November 2014 TechFreedom, the Progressive Policy Institute, and the Heritage Foundation present The Great Net Neutrality Debate: Should the FCC Ban Paid Prioritization?. A panel will tackle questions: Should the FCC ban paid prioritization, or merely police it? What authority, if any, should the FCC use? Should the FCC “reclassify†broadband as a Title II common carrier service, regulate broadband under Title I using the powers it has claimed under Section 706, or await further Congressional instructions? Speakers: Marvin Ammori, Fellow, New America Foundation (@ammori); Jonathan Baker, Professor of Law, American University (@jbbecon); Hal Singer, Progressive Policy Institute (@HalSinger); and Berin Szoka, TechFreedom (@BerinSzoka). Moderator: Amy Schatz (Re/code). The event will be webcast live via TechFreedom.
On November 10 2014 President Obama issued a statement of support for net neutrality, invoking four “bright line” rules: No blocking; No throttling; Increased transparency; and No paid prioritization. Later in the day Senior Advisor for Technology and Economic Policy David Edelman did aReddit AMA to answer questions about the statement. Video of Obama’s comments about his statement is below. It has English closed captions.
Today, Wednesday August 27 2014, the ISOC-NY TV show will present the full version of NY Lieutenant Governor candidate Tim Wu‘s talk Net Neutrality & the Politics Of Entrepreneurshipat General Assembly NYC on August 14 2014. In the talk, co-sponsored by the Legal Hackers NYC, Tim Wu, the “father” of Net Neutrality, discusses political issues affecting entrepreneurs and the creative class. Topics include Net Neutrality, regulation of small business, immigration policy, political corruption, and ways that you get can involved in politics and policy formation. The show, which airs from 2-3pm, may be viewed via Manhattan Cable or online via the MNN website. Video of the talk is posted below.
Today Wednesday, August 6, 2014 from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM the Internet Society Washington DC Chapter and the Microsoft Innovation & Policy Center present NetNeutrality in Europe: Lessons for the US? Speakers: J. Scott Marcus, Director and Head of Department “NGN and Internet Economics”,” WIK, Germany; Sally Shipman Wentworth, Vice President of Global Policy Development, Internet Society; Moderator: Michael R. Nelson, Adjunct Professor, Internet Studies, CCT Program, Georgetown University. The event is being webcast live via the Internet Society’s livestream channel.
On Tuesday July 29 2014 at 7pm the Internet Society New York Chapter (ISOC-NY) is happy, along with our colleagues at Legal Hackers NYC, and Launch LM,  co-sponsored Tech Tuesdays at the Seaport: Net Neutrality in a Non-Neutral Net at the South Street Seaport NYC. Panel: Bruce Kushnick, Executive Director, New Networks Institute; David Pashman, General Counsel, Meetup; Jonathan Askin, Founder/Director, Brooklyn Law Incubator & Policy Clinic; Althea Erickson, Policy Director, Etsy. Moderator was Nilay Patel, Editor-in-chief, The Verge. Video is below.
On June 11 2014 the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program hosted a panel Getting Serious on the Net Neutrality Debate tackling questions: How do we assure an open Internet that gives the consumer access to all content while also giving the customer high quality of service for the content they do want? Who should bear what costs? What will foster investment, innovation, choice, and freedom on the Internet? What are the long term solutions? Speakers: Jim Cicconi, senior executive vice president – external and legislative affairs, AT&T; Anna-Maria Kovacs, visiting senior policy scholar, Georgetown University Center for Business and Public Policy; Blair Levin, Fellow, Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program; Chris Libertelli, vice president – Global Government Relations, Netflix; and Tim Wu, professor of law, Columbia Law School. Moderator was Charles Firestone, executive director, Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program. It was streamed live via YouTube. Video is below.
Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix & Brian Roberts, his counterpart at Comcast, were both speakers at the recent Code Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes CA. Both were closely questioned about their interconnection disputes and network neutrality. Re/code has edited their responses into a 5 minute video. See below.
On Tuesday January 14 2014 the D.C. Circuit Court issued its ruling on the the FCC’s Open Internet rules aka Net Neutrality. On Friday January 17 2014 Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee (ICAC) hosted a discussion – D.C. Circuit Decision on FCC Open Internet Rules: Net Neutrality Win or Loss? – in Washington DC. Panelists: Markham Erickson, Partner, Steptoe & Johnson; Russell Hanser, Partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer ; Matt Wood, Policy Director, Free Press ; and Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania Law School. Moderator: David Sohn, Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT). The event was webcast live by C-SPAN. Video/audio is below. The C-SPAN link includes a transcript and a timeline.
On September 9 2013,  the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in Verizon v. FCC. The court is being asked to decide whether Internet access providers (Comcast, Verizon) should be subject to the FCC’s “Open Internet” rules adopted in December 2010. Verizon argues that the FCC doesn’t have statutory authority to regulate Internet access, because the Commission has labeled Internet access an unregulated “information service” rather than a regulated common carriage service under the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It will also argue that Verizon is a First Amendment speaker that should have “editorial discretion” over Internet traffic that passes through its wires. A recording of the oral argument is available online today here.
Also on September 9, to coincide, over a dozen organizations including Free Press, Public Knowledge, ColorOfChange, Center for Media Justice, and Future of Music Coalition joined in launching the film.The Internet Must Go, a short online mockumentary using Colbert-style interviews with Internet luminaries to expose the absurdity of familiar arguments against net neutrality. View below.
The annual Internet Days Conference is underway in Stockholm (Oct 22-24 2012). There is a live webcast, most of which – but not all – is in Swedish. Stockholm is 6 hours ahead of NYC, or UTC+2.
Jan Flodin of ISOC-SE is conducting a session on Net Neutrality on Wednesday at 15:10 (0910EDT|1310UTC) in which he will skype in ETNO President Luigi Gambardella. This session has its own twitter tag #ind12nn for submitting comments and questions.
On Monday September 24 2012 the Columbia Institute for Tele-Information (CITI) hosted State of Telecom 2012 at Columbus Business School NYC. This year this annual conference was presented jointly with European analyst group IDATE and billed as a ‘transatlantic dialog’. The theme is ‘Over the Top: New Business Models with New International Telecom Rules?‘ The event was webcast live via the Internet Society Chapters Livestream Channel and is archived here or below.
1. Welcome
Speakers:
• Robert C. Atkinson – Director of Policy Research, CITI
• Eli Noam – Director, CITI
• Yves Gassot, CEO, Digiworld byIDATE
2. Business Models for Network Operators in an OTT World
Moderator:
• Raul Katz – Director, Business Strategy Research, CITI
Speakers:
• Vincent Bonneau, Head of the Internet Department, IDATE (France)
• Jacquelynn Ruff, VP International Public Policy,Verizon (USA)
• Stephane Dufour, CSO, Swisscom (Switzerland)
• Paul Budde, Managing Director, BuddeCom (Australia)
• Yu-li Liu, Professor, National Chengchi University (Former NCC Commissioner) (Taiwan)
• Simon Wilkie – Former Chief Economist, FCC
3. Sen. Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and Member of the UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development (Australia)
4. The Impact of OTT on Traditional National Networks and Media
Moderator: Judith D. O’Neill – COO, CMAS Holdings
Speakers
• Gabrielle Gauthey, EVP Alcatel Lucent (France)
• Emmanuel Rochas, SVP & Head of the Strategy, Telecom France Orange (France)
• Henning Schulzrinne, Chief Technologist, FCC (USA)
• Richard S. Whitt, VP, Public Policy & Government Relations, Motorola Mobility (USA)
• Matthias Kurth, former President, Federal Network Agency (Germany)
5. Hon. Lawrence Strickling, Administrator, National Telecommunications & Information Administration (USA)
6. Regulation of Over-the-Top Services: Should National Regulation and the ITRs Be Expanded Beyond Networks to Include Applications?
Moderator: Robert Pepper, Senior Managing Director of Advanced Technology Policy, Cisco
Speakers:
• Roland Doll, VP International Governmental Affairs, Deutsche Telekom (Germany)
• Amb. David Gross, Wiley & Rein (former U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, Department of State) (USA)
• Leonard J. Cali, SVP, Global Public Policy, AT&T (USA)
• Chris Libertelli, Head of Global Public Policy, Netflix (USA)
• Carlos Raul Gutierrez, President of the Council – SUTEL (Costa Rica)
• Mark Cooper, Director of Research, Consumer Federation of America
• Sally Wentworth, Senior Manager of Public Policy, Internet Society
• David J. Farber, Trustee, Internet Society
As the WCIT approaches the ETNO (the former state telco’s in Europe) have issued  ‘contribution 109′ arguing that they should be compensated by content owners for carrying their traffic – an end run around net neutralirty. The European chapters of the Internet Society have reacted with this statement (below  or PDF)
The award winning network neutrality advocacy film Barbershop Punk will have its NYC Theatrical Premiere on Friday Nov. 11 2011 at the reRun Theater in DUMBO, Brooklyn. There will be two screenings on Friday, both followed by brief panels. The film will continue to be screened nightly until Thursday Nov. 17. Tickets. Trailer is below:
On Monday February 12 2018 at Noon ET (15:00 UTC) the Congressional Internet Caucus Academy presents  What’s Next For #NetNeutrality? Litigation, Legislation, and the Lay of the Land in Washington DC. In this “fast-paced” lunchtime session a panel of experts, with an array of different perspectives, will provide their perspectives on what’s going on with this dynamic topic, including the latest FCC action, developments on the state level, the prospects for litigation, and possibilities on Capitol Hill. Speakers: Matthew Brill – Partner, Latham & Watkins; Angie Kronenberg – Chief Advocate and General Counsel, INCOMPAS; Chris Lewis – Vice President, Public Knowledge; Berin Szoka – President, TechFreedom. Moderator: Li Zhou – Reporter, Politico Pro. The event will be webcast live on Facebook, and simulcast on the Internet Society Livestream Channel. (No captions)
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