The
Hollywood studios and some major unions told the FCC Thursday
that reclassifiying broadband access as a Title II telecom service is
not necessary to achieve the open Internet they also support,
and is not a desirable method of achieving that public policy goal. But
whatever the FCC does, they said, must not create an Internet open to
piracy and content theft.
But if the
commission does go the Title II route, they argue, there needs to be
clear, enforceable rules that give broadband access providers
unambiguous guidance on how to design their networks to
avoid online theft without fear of running afoul of the FCC's new regs.
Without that
assurance, they said, the FCC move would likely have a "chilling
effect" on the battle against online content theft.
The Motion
Picture Association of America, the Screen Actors Guild, Directors guild
of American, American Federation of Radio and Television Artists and
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees
collectively made those points in reply comments in the FCC's Title II
proposal, which were due Aug. 12.
FCC Chairman
Julius Genachowski is attempting to clarify the FCC's broadband
regulatory authority by reclassifying broadband under some Title II
common carrier regs, but the studios and unions say
that instead could create "extensive regulatory uncertainty.
MPAA and company said that they hoped they would "give the commission pause" in its effort to reclassify.
