[![SERVER ROOM][1]][2] Numerous stakeholders, watchdogs, and industry analysts have [already commented][3] on yesterday's public disagreement between [Comcast][4] and [Level 3 Communications][5]. It's a fascinating dispute regarding the bizarre world of "[peering][6]" agreements.
On the ride to school today, I was disappointed to hear [Marketplace cover the story][7] without even mentioning "net neutrality" or the "open internet". Below is the letter to the editor I sent this afternoon. Please feel free to comment, cannibalize, or re-send as your own. We need news organizations to do a better job accurately covering issues of internet freedom. > Dear Marketplace, > > You missed an opportunity to cover the bigger implications of Level 3's public complaint against Comcast this morning. Beyond immediate concerns over streaming video, the outcome of this dispute may fundamentally change the open nature of the internet. Users depend on peering agreements among countless intermediary ISPs when they access web services. We may never know the extent to which Level 3 traffic is overwhelming Comcast's network but their unavoidable conflict of interest demonstrates a profound inability to self-regulate. > > Members of Students for Free Culture include tomorrow's internet users, developers, thinkers, and entrepreneurs. We depend on Marketplace for its critical coverage of the tech industry. Rather than focus on fees for Netflix subscribers, this story sorely needed discussion of the FCC's struggle with "net neutrality" and Comcast's pending acquisition of NBC/Universal. > > Looking forward to further coverage as the negotiations develop! > > Sincerely, > > Kevin Driscoll Students for Free Culture University of Southern California Want further reading? Here are some tabs: * [Level 3 press release regarding new fees from Comcast][5] * [Comcast responds on its blog, customers sound off in the comments][4] * [GigaOM Comcast/Level 3 timeline][3] * [Save the Internet lists 7 recent examples of Comcast's bad behavior][8] * [Public Knowledge calls this a "third strike" against Comcast][9] * [Stop Big Media describes this as Comcast being "caught red- handed"][10] [1]: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/164/402380988_dad5b25618.jpg [2]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pallotron/402380988/in/photostream/ [3]: http://gigaom.com/2010/11/30/a-play-by-play-on-the-comcast-and- level-3-spat/ [4]: http://blog.comcast.com/2010/11/comcast-comments-on-level-3.html [5]: http://www.level3.com/index.cfm?pageID=491&PR=962 [6]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peering [7]: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/30/am- could-there-be-more-fees-in-the-future-for-netflix-users/ [8]: http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/10/11/30/comcast-busted-new- tolls-netflix-arent-all-you-should-worry-about [9]: http://www.publicknowledge.org/public-knowledge-calls-level-3 -charges-third-strik [10]: http://www.stopbigmedia.com/blog/2010/11/comcast-caught-red- handed-again/ URL: http://freeculture.org/blog/2010/11/30/demand-better-coverage-of-net-neutrality/ _______________________________________________ Discuss mailing list [email protected] http://freeculture.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/discuss FAQ: http://wiki.freeculture.org/Fc-discuss
