Mapping Net Neutrality

Net neutrality is the idea that an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may not treat information differently depending on its source. During the Obama administration the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recognized this consumer-protective principle in its codes.*

When President Trump took office the make-up of the FCC changed and the agency effectively gutted its own regulations. Bye bye net neutrality.

The rules are now being challenged in court, partly on the premise that an agency can’t change its policy after just a few years without some major change in circumstances.

Advocates of net neutrality are also turning to Congress to adopt online consumer rights into law. Sonos, which pipes beautiful music into my office, closed its Manhattan flagship store during the Grammy’s and posted the banner “We’re Closed For An Open Internet.” Burger King recently explained net neutrality by delaying their Whoppers. And lawmakers in 15 states have introduced legislation requiring ISPs to provide a free and open internet.

What’s net neutrality to a company that sells maps? For Mapfit you could say the death of net neutrality is a good thing. After all, companies will look for cheaper solutions as they have to pay more to ISPs like Verizon and Comcast in order to have decent access to consumers. We beat the competition for low-priced maps. But that doesn’t take account of the fact that many start-ups and Internet companies won’t be able to afford higher tiers of Internet access. Or they may be able to afford faster tiers only if they eliminate maps altogether and use lists. Both options are bad for consumers and bad for us.

So take a stand against the ISPs. Contact your Congressman and ask him to support net neutrality.

*I was Special Counsel to the FCC the first time they attempted to codify net neutrality.