Editing Net neutrality (section)

===Discrimination by protocol===
Discrimination by protocol is the favoring or blocking of information based on aspects of the [[communications protocol]] that the computers are using.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/technology/02fcc.html?_r=1|title=F.C.C. Vote Sets Precedent on Unfettered Web Usage|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Saul|last=Hansell|date=2 August 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919212820/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/02/technology/02fcc.html?_r=1|archive-date=19 September 2017}}</ref> In the US, a complaint was filed with the [[Federal Communications Commission]] against the cable provider [[Comcast]] alleging they had illegally inhibited users of its high-speed Internet service from using the popular file-sharing software [[BitTorrent]].<ref>{{cite news|work=Center for Internet and Society|url=https://www.freepress.net/sites/default/files/fp-legacy/Deep_Packet_Inspection_The_End_of_the_Internet_As_We_Know_It.pdf|title=Deep_Packet_Inspection_The_End_of_the_Internet_As_We_Know_It|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051141/http://www.freepress.net/sites/default/files/fp-legacy/Deep_Packet_Inspection_The_End_of_the_Internet_As_We_Know_It.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=27 June 2016}}</ref> Comcast admitted no wrongdoing<ref>{{cite news|author=Duncan, Geoff|title=Comcast to Pay $16 Million for Blocking P2P Applications|url=http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/comcast-to-pay-16-million-for-blocking-p2p-applications/|date=23 December 2009|work=Digital Trends|access-date=23 December 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225191525/http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/comcast-to-pay-16-million-for-blocking-p2p-applications/|archive-date=25 December 2009}}</ref> in its proposed settlement of up to {{USD|16}} per share in December 2009.<ref>{{cite news|author=Cheng, Jacqui|title=Comcast settles P2P throttling class-action for $16 million|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/comcast-throws-16-million-at-p2p-throttling-settlement.ars|date=22 December 2009|publisher=Condé Nast|work=Ars Technica|access-date=23 December 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102030632/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/12/comcast-throws-16-million-at-p2p-throttling-settlement.ars|archive-date=2 January 2010}}</ref> However, a U.S. appeals court ruled in April 2010 that the FCC exceeded its authority when it sanctioned Comcast in 2008. However, the FCC spokeswoman Jen Howard responded, "The court in no way disagreed with the importance of preserving a free and open Internet, nor did it close the door to other methods for achieving this important end."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303411604575167782845712768|title=Court Backs Comcast Over FCC|author=Amy Schatz|date=7 April 2010|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312150343/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303411604575167782845712768/|archive-date=12 March 2017}}</ref> Despite the ruling in favor of Comcast, a study by ''Measurement Lab'' in October 2011 verified that Comcast had virtually stopped its BitTorrent throttling practices.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2011/10/bittorrent-throttling-comcast/|title=Comcast No Longer Choking File Sharers' Connections, Study Says|magazine=WIRED|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427100906/https://www.wired.com/2011/10/bittorrent-throttling-comcast/|archive-date=27 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-throttling-internet-providers-exposed-111020/|title=BitTorrent Throttling Internet Providers Exposed|work=TorrentFreak|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808193441/https://torrentfreak.com/bittorrent-throttling-internet-providers-exposed-111020/|archive-date=8 August 2017}}</ref>