David Sutphen at the Internet Innovation Alliance, calling net neutrality "a distraction," today listed ten reasons why the Federal Communications Commission should get busy closing the digital divide rather than dreaming up new regulations.
With his list, "10 Reasons Why New Internet Regulations Impede Common Goals of Connecting All Americans and Closing Digital Divide," David outlines what he sees as the real issues to address in broadband adoption. According to his list,
- The net neutrality debate, which only concerns those already online, is a distraction from creating an effective National Broadband Plan. The people who have the most to lose from this balancing act are the socially and economically disenfranchised - members of rural, low-income, urban, tribal, minority, non-English speaking, unserved and underserved populations.
- Experts on the digital divide have not cited "lack of net neutrality regulations" as either a cause or a cure for race or income-based differences in broadband adoption. The current net neutrality war that has erupted in Washington, DC has very little to do with the interests of the unserved and underserved.
- Today's open Internet is making possible huge innovation. We reduce the possibilities and raise barriers if we don't give everyone access to smart networks.
As the deadline of March 2010 for the FCC to issue the national broadband plan is drawing near, organizations and interest groups--in order to alert both the FCC and the public--are stepping up the volume about what elements they believe the plan should contain.
Please visit IIA's website for the full list.
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