What is the term for the principle that ISPs allow data transmission without considering the data's content?

The principle that ISPs allow data transmission without considering the data's content is known as net neutrality. This concept holds that all internet traffic should be treated equally, without discrimination or charging differentially by user, content, website, platform, application, or method of communication. Under net neutrality, ISPs cannot prioritize one type of data over another, ensuring a level playing field for all internet users and service providers.

The importance of net neutrality lies in its impact on free expression and innovation. By not favoring certain types of content or services, it fosters a dynamic environment where new entrants can compete on equal footing with established players, ultimately benefiting users through more choices and better services. This principle opposes practices where ISPs might throttle, block, or otherwise interfere with specific services or applications.

In contrast, other concepts such as bandwidth refer only to the capacity of data transmission, while data prioritization involves preferential treatment of certain data types. Access regulation pertains to the rules governing how users can access services and content, which does not encapsulate the entirety of net neutrality's principles.