A rift has opened up between some of the internets biggest players over proposals formulated by Google and Verizon to rework one of the founding principles of the internet, that of net neutrality.

Under the contentious plans a distinction would be made between the wired and wireless internet such that the wireless ether is not beholden to such constraints.

These constraints currently ensure that internet users enjoy equal access to all online sources of information, ensuring that service providers do not prioritise some sources over others.

Looser regulations however would allow mobile carriers to charge content providers a toll for faster access to customers or even block access to specific services entirely.

Taken to extremes this could create a two tier internet, the public one we know today and a private one with faster speeds and expensive tolls.

Industry heavyweights such as Facebook however, which flourish on the open internet, are scathing of the plans which they see as putting at risk the ability of people to remotely access all content.

Wireless internet is now rapidly emerging as the dominant platform for web use and campaigners are keen to see the openness to innovation of the wired platform maintained so as to leave consumers as the ultimate arbiters of content.