A recent poll says the U.S. public supports net neutrality:

The nationally representative survey found that more than 75 percent of Internet users polled are seriously concerned about not being able to freely choose an Internet service provider or being required to pay twice for certain Internet services. Another 70 percent were concerned about providers blocking or impairing their access to Internet services or sites, such as Internet telephone service or online retailers like Amazon.com. Fifty-four percent want Congress to take action to ensure that Internet providers are prohibited from engaging in these practices.

Importance of the Internet Public Support for Net Neutrality New Survey: Consumers Want Congress to Protect Right to Access Information, Services on Internet, “Network Neutrality” Issue Needs Pro-Active Response from FCC, Congress to Ensure Consumers, Start-Ups Are Not Subject to Discrimination, FCC Commissioner Copps Calls for National Dialogue, ConsumersUnion.org, Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006

This poll was of 1,000 households in November 2005.

Another poll, in August 2006 by Public Opinion Strategies and the Glover Park Group, has been claimed to say that users don’t want net neutrality, which it described as:

“enhancing Internet neutrality by barring high speed internet providers from offering specialized services like faster speed and increased security for a fee”

When asked whether they preferred that or

“delivering the benefits of new TV and video choice”

66 percent of the 800 respondants favored the latter. Assorted opponents of net neutrality, such as Sen. Ted “series of tubes” Stevens, have used this poll to say the public doesn’t want net neutrality.

However:

When asked how important a “Consumer Bill of Rights” would be that prevented Internet Service Providers from blocking or degrading access to Internet sites and services, 78 percent indicated that such a bill would be important, with 59 percent of that group calling it “very important.” The poll did not differentiate this “bill of rights” from net neutrality, but its findings make it clear that protecting the integrity of the Internet is indeed important to Americans, regardless of terminology.

And of course that description of a consumer bill of rights is basically what net neutrality is about, so the same poll actually says that most respondants are in favor of the basic goal of net neutrality. The specific wording of this “bill of rights” is taken from Sen. Stevens’ bill that was then in the Senate, which didn’t include any actual enforcement, and also did not pass.

It seems to me that even an apparently biased poll actually shows that people want net neutrality, and the unbiased poll is even more clear that they do.

-jsq