Real Net Neutrality Problem: 'Edge Provider' vs 'End User'

An anonymous reader writes At the Washington Post, Brett Frischmann elaborates on the theory that the continuing flaw with the FCC's Net-Neutrality strategy lies in the perverse distinction between "End User" and "Edge Provider". Succinctly: "The key to an open Internet is nondiscrimination and in particular, a prohibition on discrimination or prioritization based on the identity of the user (sender/receiver) or use (application/content)," and then, "Who exactly are the end users that are not edge providers? In other words, who uses the Internet but does not provide any content, application, or service? The answer is no one. All end users provide content as they engage in communications with other end users, individually or collectively. ... Think of all the startups and small businesses run from people's homes on home Internet connections, using WordPress tools or Amazon hosting services. Are they 'end users' when they email their friends but 'edge providers' when they switch windows to check their business metrics?"

Comments

Re:Which way are the bits going?

[NotSanguine]

It sounds like they're intending to draw a distinction between nodes that principally receive data from those that principally transmit data.

If the node has a high ratio of bits received to bits transmitted, it's an "End User." If it has a high ratio of bits transmitted to bits received, it's an "edge provider."

It's like that because of the artificial restrictions placed on upload speeds by the DOCSIS and ADSL protocols. Which is just the big boys trying to protect their business model by keeping us from being creators and sharing on a peer-to-peer basis.

High speed, symmetrical network links for everyone, and peer-to-peer protocols for social networking, sharing creative content and ensuring freedom of speech could be incredibly empowering and liberating technologies.

Unfortunately, those technologies which would allow users to share directly with each other, as well as strong encryption would most certainly limit the ability of the corporatocracy and the governement to spy on us for their benefit. So of course it must be stopped.

I really hate how cynical I'm getting, but our corporate and government overlords keep taking our freedoms and most people are cheering them on. Good consumers. No need to be a citizen. Just be a good little consumer.