Slashdot Mirror
Stanford Engineers Propose A Technology To Break The Net Neutrality Deadlock (phys.org)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Phys.Org: Stanford engineers have invented a technology that would allow an internet user to tell network providers and online publishers when and if they want content or services to be given preferential delivery, an advance that could transform the network neutrality debate. Net neutrality, as it's often called, is the proposition that internet providers should allow equal access to all content rather than give certain applications favored status or block others. But the Stanford engineers -- Professor Nick McKeown, Associate Professor Sachin Katti and electrical engineering PhD Yiannis Yiakoumis -- say their new technology, called Network Cookies, makes it possible to have preferential delivery and an open internet. Network Cookies allow users to choose which home or mobile traffic should get favored delivery, while putting network operators and content providers on a level playing field in catering to such user-signaled preferences. "So far, net neutrality has been promoted as the best possible defense for users," Katti said. "But treating all traffic the same isn't necessarily the best way to protect users. It often restricts their options and this is why so-called exceptions from neutrality often come up. We think the best way to ensure that ISPs and content providers don't make decisions that conflict with the interests of users is to let users decide how to configure their own traffic." McKeown said Network Cookies implement user-directed preferences in ways that are consistent with the principles of net neutrality. "First, they're simple to use and powerful," McKeown said. "They enable you to fast-lane or zero-rate traffic from any application or website you want, not just the few, very popular applications. This is particularly important for smaller content providers -- and their users -- who can't afford to establish relationships with ISPs. Second, they're practical to deploy. They don't overwhelm the user or bog down user devices and network operators and they function with a variety of protocols. Finally, they can be a very practical tool for regulators, as they can help them design simple and clear policies and then audit how well different parties adhere to them." The researchers presented a technical paper on their approach at a conference in Brazil.
This is like the "do not track" button.
Only worse.
Every advertiser in the universe will want to programmatically toggle this option "for the convenience of the user."
No. Treat all traffic identically. Bits from CNN are more more important than bits from lemonparty.com
Nobody gets special treatment, that's what net neutrality IS.
Idiots.
It's not about the users. The whole reason ISP's want to give preferential treatment to traffic is specifically so that they can force content providers to pay them for access to their customers. They want to pick the winners, punish competitors, and make money doing it. Anyone that thinks this is about improving the end user experience isn't paying attention.
If the line is not over subscribed, or bufferbloated, your traffic will not be impeded by that other traffic.
You can already set your torrent client to self throttle. The ISP does not need to do it for you, and should not be in the position or business of doing it for you.
Better solution: forbid the same company to be a connectivity provider and a content seller.
The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
Yes, and because people are people and people are assholes, everyone will set their own traffic to "maximum speed, all the time", essentially resulting in what we already have.
Prisoner's dilemma at its finest.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
In the physical world this is done by giving visitors the possibility to pay to jump queues.
It is nothing more than an attempt to monetize congestion, therefore removing any incentive to eliminate the congestion.
The dark fiber will stay dark.