Google Inc.  on Thursday strongly denied a report that said the search giant was close to an agreement with Verizon Communications Inc. that would allow the carrier to speed the delivery of online content to Internet users if content creators paid for the privilege.

The purported agreement, reported by the New York Times, would severely undercut the Internet tenet known as net neutrality, in which no form of content is favored over another. The Times suggested an agreement between Google and Verizon could lead to a new tiered system in which consumers pay more  for premium levels of service. Get the full story »