Songwriters Weigh In On Net Neutrality

A trade group representing American songwriters told President-elect Barack Obama's transition team last week that network neutrality as defined in recent debates on Capitol Hill "is a principle with surface appeal" that proposes that Internet service providers should not interfere with or regulate traffic on their own networks. But the practical result of such a barrier would be more piracy -- a problem that has been devastating for musicians, the Songwriters Guild of America said in a briefing document.

The solution lies not with net neutrality proposals but in an emerging common ground between creators and some ISPs, SGA said. The group believes ISPs must be allowed the flexibility to manage traffic on their networks in a manner that: (1) permits, protects and encourages legitimate online commerce; (2) does not discriminate among providers of legitimate content; (3) deters illegitimate conduct such as music piracy; and (4) provides the ISPs with sufficient incentive to continue to build and expand their networks.

Net neutrality proposals as now structured could prevent forward-looking ISPs from taking such actions, SGA said. Recent debates over the topic have positioned ISPs in opposition to the consumer and have completely ignored creators' rights, the group said. SGA President Rick Carnes has testified repeatedly before Congress and the FCC against "an absolute policy of net neutrality that would simply enshrine the current mass looting of the works ofsongwriters and music copyright owners."