Abstracts Category : Other

Network neutrality and the evolution of internet policy in the United States

by Makeda Warren Keegan

Awareness of "network neutrality" has grown over the past few years as more Americans become dependent on high-speed internet connections for professional, academic and recreational activities. Network neutrality principles dictate that internet service providers (ISPs) should not block, degrade, discriminate or otherwise impede access to lawful internet traffic. While high-speed internet service has only been available to most Americans for a relatively short time, regulating large-scale, publicly available networks like railroads have been a concern for the U.S. government for more than a century. In this study, I examine the policy dynamics involved in Congresss role in shaping internet policy and network neutrality regulation. By exploring this issue within the context of technological determinism and path dependence, I investigate to see what, if any, impact American telecommunications policy formulation in the 1980's, 1990's and 2000's have had on current policy outcomes.