Starke County Indiana Democratic Party

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech Monday confirming the FCC’s commitment to an open internet. President Obama acknowledges network access to be a core part of modern life. The Internet is changing our lives in ways unthought of ten years ago. We use it to watch television and movies, purchase music, and make telephone calls. ISPs (Internet Service Providers) provide us with access to this tool. For the past few years, ISPs have tried to change their networks from merely passing data, to charging content providers, such as Youtube or ESPN for preferred access to their customers. Their claim is that some content providers, such as Youtube, put an unreasonable strain on their network, and so should pay for that burden. The FCC and other network neutrality proponents claim that openness is the primary reason the internet is such a force today, and without it, we would be unable to build the next big thing.