The Week: Most Recent The Digital Age:Net Neutrality

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04/07/10--03:18: Net neutrality explained in two minutes (chan 1555263)

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04/07/10--08:16: What is net neutrality? (chan 1555263)



Comcast, the biggest cable provider in the U.S., won a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission that could have serious repercussions on how the internet is regulated. At stake is the principle of "net neutrality." But what does that mean, how does this decision affect it, and what will it mean to you? (Watch an overview of net neutrality.) A brief guide:

What is net neutrality?
In basic terms, it's the idea that all internet users should have unrestricted access to all legal content, services, and sites on the web. In practice, this means that Comcast and other internet providers...

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08/06/10--15:25: 'The end of the internet as we know it'? (chan 1555263)



Google and Verizon are reportedly on the cusp of an agreement that would, according to some commentators, do away with the long-held principle that all online content has equal priority. According to The New York Times, Google would agree not to launch a challenge were Verizon to institute a system offering preferential — that is, speedier — delivery "if the content's creators are willing to pay for the privilege." With Google and Verizon both denying that a deal is in the works, are "net neutrality" advocates overreacting? (Watch an MSNBC report about the reported deal)

R.I.P., internet...

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08/11/10--10:15: How Google turned evil (chan 1555263)



So much for Google's "Don't Be Evil" mantra, says Ryan Singel in Wired. Once upon a time, the search giant was a staunch advocate of "mobile net neutrality" — that is, free and open access for cell phones to a variety of wireless carriers. But recently Google has given up that fight, recently signing a pact with Verizon that threatens to further empower the telecom behemoths and undermine the interests of average citizens. Google could have pressured "the FCC to push through new wireless rules," and freed us all from the hell of two-year contracts. It could have put real corporate muscle...

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12/22/10--12:00: The FCC's 'meaningless' net neutrality rules (chan 1555263)



The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday approved new regulations for internet traffic, a move that could have profound consequences for the future of online access. In a partisan vote, the 3-2 Democratic majority on the FCC's board, led by Chairman Julius Genachowski, enacted the Open Internet Order promoting "network neutrality," the idea that broadband providers should treat large and small sites the same. But the new regulations provoked immediate criticism from all sides, with Republicans calling it harmful government meddling and liberals saying the rules are "meaningless" and, in...

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01/19/11--09:40: The Comcast-NBC deal: Winners and losers (chan 1555263)



Federal regulators have given the thumbs up to Comcast's $30 billion merger with NBC Universal, allowing a cable company to buy a major network for the first time. (Watch an NBC report about the merger.) The Federal Communications Commission gave its blessing to the deal on Tuesday, but imposed a swath of temporary conditions to ensure the new company's vast reach does not harm consumers. Here, a look at the winners and losers from the merger:

WINNERS

Hulu
Although many feared that the future of Hulu, the online video streaming service partly owned by NBC Universal, would be threatened by the merger...

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