NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Online Publishers Association (OPA), the only trade association that exclusively serves the diverse needs of high-quality digital content companies, has offered the following comments in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s proposals for policies and regulations to ensure an open Internet.
The OPA agrees with the Commission that edge providers should not need permissions from ISPs in order to reach consumers, and ISPs should not restrict consumers from accessing lawful content. Consumer access to online content over an open Internet has had wide-ranging impacts on how consumers live their lives – e.g., how they receive, share and create news; the way they learn; and the nature of their political activity.
“The Commission should ensure that current and future content creators will be able to continue investing and innovating for consumers,” says Jason Kint, CEO, Online Publishers Association. “Also, the FCC should ensure that the Internet remains an open platform that supports consumer choice and the open exchange of ideas and information.”
The OPA encourages the Commission to:
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(1) |
Narrowly construe its Section 706 authority and, as suggested by the D.C. Circuit in Verizon v. FCC, apply it directly to “broadband providers” to encourage broadband deployment |
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(2) |
Require transparency of ISP network management practices, network performance, and commercial terms in certain circumstances, so that end users and edge providers are able to make informed choices |
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(3) |
Adopt the no-blocking rule from the Commission’s 2010 Open Internet Order and clarify that the rule does not preclude broadband providers from negotiating individualized, differentiated arrangements |
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(4) |
Address peering and interconnection relationships separately, rather than in this proceeding |
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ABOUT THE ONLINE PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Founded in June 2001, the Online Publishers Association (OPA) is a not-for-profit trade organization dedicated to representing high-quality digital content brands before the advertising community, the press, the government and the public. The OPA produces proprietary research on advertising and media consumption online for our members and the public, creates public and private forums to explore and advance key issues that impact content brands, and works to educate the public at large on the importance of quality content brands.