On January 26, 2008, the University of San Francisco School of Law Intellectual Property Law Bulletin is hosting The Toll Roads: The Legal and Political Debate Over Network Neutrality, a symposium to increase awareness about network neutrality by bringing together lawyers, academics, economists, and technologists for a balanced debate on the issue.
Network neutrality is an important issue facing upcoming generations of technology users. Though the contours are hotly debated, network neutrality can be generally described as a principle of unfettered access to the Internet without discrimination based on the content being accessed, the frequency of access, or the devices and programs used to access the Internet. Many consumers, users, and activists have rallied in support of net neutrality in light of non-neutral activity that restricts the average user -- like Comcast's packet forging, or AT&T's outward interest in filtering traffic in the future -- but successfully maintaining the neutrality principle will require careful, intelligent progress.
Panelists for the symposium include Columbia Law School copyright professor Timothy Wu, AT&T Assistant Vice President of Regulatory Planning and Policy Richard Clarke, Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies President Lawrence Spiwak, and many others.
The cost to attend the symposium ranges from free to $100; check out the symposium website and the registration form (PDF) for more details.