The Federal Communications Commission's net neutrality proposals aren't just triggering pushback by Internet service providers. Broadband and consumer groups also are alarmed by some of the fine print
in the FCC's 107-page notice of rulemaking.
Specifically, a coalition of six advocacy organizations -- including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Knowledge -- is concerned that
the FCC has gone astray by considering what role ISPs should play in stopping copyright infringement.
The FCC's proposed neutrality rules would require ISPs to allow consumers to access all
lawful content. But the FCC proposals contain an exception for "reasonable network management" -- which it said included the prevention of illegal transfers of copyrighted material.
The
advocacy groups argue in comments filed late last week that there's no reason for such an exception because
the proposed regulations themselves apply only to legal material.
What's more, they say, any FCC stamp of approval of techniques aimed at combating piracy could result in blocking of legal
material. "ISPs are poorly placed to determine whether or not transfers of content are infringing or otherwise unlawful, a task generally reserved to attorneys, courts, and law enforcement," the
groups argue. "An exception permitting overbroad mechanisms would encourage ISPs to use systems that would encourage more false positives -- and thus more blocking of lawful transfers of content --
than otherwise."
Not surprisingly, Hollywood and the record labels argue the opposite. In separate filings made late last week, the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion
Picture Association of America ask the FCC to prod ISPs to develop anti-infringement policies.
"In the absence of clear guidance from the Commission, ISPs -- fearful of government reproach
-- may be reluctant to take advantage of the best available tools and techniques to prevent and combat online content theft," the MPAA asserts.
The RIAA, meanwhile, appears to downplay the dangers that lawful content will be blocked, arguing that "perfection is not required" when ISPs attempt to prevent infringement.