Krikorian, Jacqueline D.Taylor, Palmer James Charles2024-07-182024-07-182024-03-282024-07-18https://hdl.handle.net/10315/42132This dissertation analyzes debates on net neutrality (i.e., principles that encourage Internet Service Providers to refrain from blocking, throttling, and prioritizing data packets) in light of the 2017 Restoring Internet Freedom Order over the period 2017–2020. The proposal to repeal net neutrality was considered an abrupt shift in policy from efforts by previous FCCs to sustain net neutrality principles. I conduct a qualitative content analysis by collecting, coding, categorizing, and thematizing five data sources in NVivo (qualitative data analysis software) to draw out socio-legal narratives and stories. The five data sources include the 2017 Order, the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) attachment files, videos from YouTube, media reports, and law documents. The thematic findings organized by economics, technology, politics, and law and regulation are explored through a narrative framework comprised of multiple narrative and story threads to help make sense of the debates. The first research aim identifies and describes net neutrality in light of socio-legal narratives and stories through the construction and representation of ideas, concepts, issues, and arguments related to the governance of data packets and the Web. The second research aim examines how formal law and regulation frameworks (i.e., empirical and normative – ‘according to law and regulation as they are and ought to be’) and non-normative frameworks (i.e., technological management and solutions – ‘according to what law and regulation can and cannot do’) govern data packets and the Web. The third research aim explores how formal law and regulation and non-normative frameworks reflect U.S. norms, values, and rights that support the expansion of U.S. economic power. The dissertation contributes to the scholarship on socio-legal narratives, law and regulation, and the substantive issue of net neutrality in the U.S.Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.SociologyLawWeb studiesElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2024-07-185GPai, AjitAlgorithmAntitrustApplication providerAuthorityBlockingBright-line ruleBroadbandBroadband internet access serviceCalinnovatesCoherentistCommunicationConsumer protectionContent development networkContent providerCourtDataData packetData packet inspectionDigital divideDiscourseDiscriminationDiscursiveECFSEconomicsElectronic comment filing systemEqualityFCCFree speechFTCGatekeeperGovernmentHuaweiInformation serviceInnovation commonsInternetInternet governanceInternet protocolInternet service providerInterstateIntrastateJohn OliverLawLaw 1.0Law 2.0Law 3.0LegislationLight-touch regulationMarket competitionMendocino Complex wildfireMetagovernanceMonopolyNarrativeNarratologyNVivoOpennessOwnershipPacket switching networkPaid prioritizationPolicyPoliticsPowerProtocolQualitative content analysisQuality of serviceRedliningRegulationRegulatory-instrumentalistRestoring internet freedom orderSocio-legalSociology of lawState jurisdictionStoryTechno-regulationTechnocratTechnologyTelecommunicationTelecommunication serviceTerms of service agreementThrottlingTitle ITitle IITransparencyU.S. economic powerWalled gardenWeb-scrapingWebWeber