“An essential primer and a great read. Highly recommended."—Tim Wu, author of <i>The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires</i><br /><br />"Pickard and Berman have written the best introduction to net neutrality and the broader policymaking surrounding the internet that I have ever read. It is perfect for students or citizens eager to understand some of the most important issues of our times. Must reading."—Robert W. McChesney, author of <i>Digital Disconnect:</i> <i>How Capitalism is Turning the Internet Against Democracy</i><br /><br />"Want to know how the internet went from democracy's promise to democracy’s peril? It's all right here in an eminently readable and essential book. And a plan for action, too!"—Hon. Michael J. Copps, former FCC Commissioner<br /><br />
This short book is both a primer that explains the history and politics of net neutrality and an argument for a more equitable framework for regulating access to the internet. Pickard and Berman argue that we should not see internet service as a commodity but as a public good necessary for sustaining democratic society in the twenty-first century. They aim to reframe the threat to net neutrality as more than a conflict between digital leviathans like Google and internet service providers like Comcast but as part of a much wider project to commercialize the public sphere and undermine the free speech essential for democracy. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the key concepts underpinning the net neutrality battle and rallying points for future action to democratize online communication.