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The Role of Civil Society Organizations in the Net Neutrality Debate in Canada and the United States

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The Role of Civil Society Organizations in the Net Neutrality Debate in Canada and the United States THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE NET NEUTRALITY DEBATE IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES By Bruce Thomas Harpham A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Information Studies Graduate Department of the Faculty of Information University of Toronto © Copyright by Bruce Thomas Harpham (2009) Thesis title: The role of civil society organizations in the net neutrality debate in Canada and the United States Degree: Master of Information Studies (2009) Author: Bruce Thomas Harpham Graduate Department: Faculty of Information Institution: University of Toronto Abstract: This thesis investigates the policy frames employed by civil society organizations (CSOs) in the network neutrality debate in Canada and the United States. Network neutrality is defined as restrictions on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to respect freedom of expression on the Internet and not seek to prevent innovative competition nor control the services or content available to users. The primary question under investigation is the policy frames of CSOs in the debate. The second question is whether CSOs have influenced policy outcomes in either legislation or regulation. The focus of the analysis is on regulatory agencies (CRTC and FCC); proposed legislation in Parliament and Congress is also analyzed as well. By examining the arguments advanced by various policy participants (government, ISPs, and CSOs), common points can be identified that may help the participants come to agreement. ii Acknowledgements Over the months of research and writing the thesis, I have greatly benefited from the comments and suggestions from my supervisors, Professors Andrew Clement and Nadia Caidi. Their contributions have allowed me to develop my argument in greater detail and have pointed out errors and other problems. The comments of the external examiner, Professor Catherine Middleton (Ryerson University) have also improved this thesis. Such criticism has made for a more persuasive and hopefully easier to read thesis. Any errors that remain are due to the author. Additionally, my thinking on net neutrality was augmented by a presentation given by Alex Guindon and Danielle Dennie, librarians based at Concordia University, at the 2009 Canadian Library Association Conference in Montreal. Their presentation was particularly helped me develop the chapter on the Canadian debate. I would also like to acknowledge the Ontario Graduate Scholarship which has made this project financially possible. Researching and writing the thesis has also required me to call on others for encouragement and support throughout the process. My parents, Joan and Fred Harpham, have been tirelessly supportive of this project and have always been willing to discuss the nuances of the research. Writing a thesis can be a solitary endeavour at times – their love and interest helped me complete the project. Finally, I would like to thank Carolyn Harris for her love and for reviewing an early draft of the thesis. iii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii Abbreviations or Acronyms ............................................................................................................ vi List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vii Chapter 1: Introduction, Methodology and Literature Review .............................................................. 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Defining network neutrality: A Contested Concept ............................................................................ 2 History of the Internet ........................................................................................................................ 9 The network neutrality debate begins .............................................................................................. 10 The Canadian Debate ........................................................................................................................ 18 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 23 Comparative Overview ...................................................................................................................... 33 Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 2: The American Net Neutrality Debate .................................................................................. 36 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 36 Civil Society Organizations participating in the U.S. net neutrality debate ...................................... 38 The Regulatory Arena: FCC Actions since 2005................................................................................. 46 The FCC’s 2008 Broadband Network Management Practices Hearings ........................................... 56 Summary ........................................................................................................................................... 74 The Legislative Arena ........................................................................................................................ 75 Proposed Congressional Bills Regarding Net Neutrality, 2006-2008 ................................................ 78 The Policy Process ............................................................................................................................. 87 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 88 iv Chapter 3: The Canadian Net Neutrality Debate .................................................................................. 89 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 89 The Legislative Arena ........................................................................................................................ 95 The Regulatory Arena ...................................................................................................................... 102 CRTC’s Internet Traffic Management in Canada eConsultation ..................................................... 113 Civil Society Comments to the CRTC ............................................................................................... 115 The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association ......................................................................... 120 The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic ............................................................. 122 Canadian Libraries ........................................................................................................................... 127 The Canadian Library Association ............................................................................................... 128 The Atlantic Provinces Library Association ................................................................................. 129 The Documentary Organization of Canada ..................................................................................... 130 The Canadian Conference of the Arts ............................................................................................. 132 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 137 Chapter 4: Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 140 Appendix 1: Panelists at FCC’s Public En Banc Hearings on Broadband Regulation in 2008 ...... 147 Appendix 2: Timeline of the American Net Neutrality Debate ................................................... 152 Appendix 3: Timeline of the Canadian Net Neutrality Debate.................................................... 155 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................ 157 v Abbreviations or Acronyms ALA American Library Association APLA Atlantic Provinces Library Association BCCLA British Columbia Civil Liberties Association CCA Canadian Conference for the Arts CDM Campaign for Democratic Media CIPPIC Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic CLA Canadian Library Association CRTC Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission CAIP Canadian Association of Internet Providers CATA Alliance Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance DOC Documentary Organization of Canada DPI Deep Packet Inspection EFF Electronic Frontier Foundation FCC Federal Communications Commission FTP File Transfer Protocol ICT Information and communications technologies ISP Internet Service Provider ITU International Telecommunications Union OITP Office of Information Technology Policy (part of ALA)
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