NET NEUTRALITY

What It Is And Why It Is Important

Hi welcome to my blog, today we are going to be talking about Net Neutrality, it’s repeal, and what it means for us the consumers. Net Neutrality is the principle that all Internet Service providers must treat all data on the internet the same. That means discrimination through different rates, content, user type, website, etc. is not allowed at all.  Title II of the Communications Act protects us from being preyed on by our Internet Providers and puts an equal playing ground for all. Internet Service Providers through this are barred from taking advantage of their customers and have to be careful with what they do. Stronger protections occurred in 2015 and helped to usher in an era of prosper/growth for everyone online. Upstart businesses can compete fairly with their competition and economic development was now more open. Minor businesses did not have to worry about customer’s access to their items online and if their experience online would be hindered by the amount of money they pay to ISPs. Not only that, but social movements from oppressed groups like people of color, LGBTQ, etc. could have their message and their gripes be known to the world. With traditional media being owned by only a chosen few that means the communication being broadcasted and transferred to the people is often misconstrued and usually false. Net Neutrality allows the individuals less in power to band together and be represented the way they should be. That is the way the internet should be as well and not the way the FCC wants it.

 

What Happened

All data is treated equally, but after the decision from the Federal Communications Commission on the Fourteenth of December all that changed. The FCC may say that this gives them an opportunity to promote more competition and investments in companies and businesses. Not only that it helps promote companies, it promotes fair rules that help all businesses no matter what situation or net income they have. The FCC continues to revise regulations in international communications that include television, wire, satellite, radio, and cable. The FCC believes they are the reason why our nation’s communication infrastructure is one of the best in the world. It “helps” our defense by blocking apps, websites, and links that can hurt us. On the other hand though Internet providers could now provide faster lanes for people who pay more, which means they can also slow down lanes for certain sites. This puts more emphasis on the digital divide and let the rich prosper while the poor suffer.  Everything they believe they are standing for is actually the opposite of what’s best for everyone. Less rules leave us the consumers at the bid of the ISPs.

 

What It Means

Among other things, the choice authorizes the companies to discriminate against information that tides along their networks. Which also means Comcast could hypothetically fine clienteles more if they watch a lot of Netflix, or possibly serve Netflix data at a sluggish speed. Internet service providers had been suspect of doing precisely that, before net neutrality rules were in place. One of the companies called Verizon, who also possesses Huff Post’s parent company Oath, could bid content it owns at a quicker rate than content formed by competitors. Furthermore, AT&T could decide that a certain startup company isn’t pulling its fair share and demands the company pay up or be penalized with an internet slow lane. On the brighter side, most ISPs have promised to support the values of net neutrality and not to select web traffic in this way. Those promises don’t mean much outside advertising and public opinons, and they can be altered. Comcast silently tweaked its promise just prior, deleting key words that had promised “no paid prioritization.”

Who It Affects

With Net Neutrality possibly ending, many people are getting affected by it. Basically all consumers are affected by this, some will benefit but most will suffer. Not only that, companies are also getting affected. How? Even though companies such as Amazon, Netflix, Google, and any other social media will be able to pay the higher rent, they will eventually lose lots of advancement.

Advantage and Disadvantage

Many people are reacting to Net Neutrality the same way, antagonized and dissatisfied. Some people are not bothered by this because they are used to not having to rely on the Internet for information or to have fun. This counts as one of the advantages because people will start to understand that the Internet is not the only thing that can help you look up information or help you manage life in general. It may seem like a meaningless advantage because people are so hypnotized into the Internet, thinking that the Internet will help them with everything, but once everyone starts to open their eyes, they will soon realize that not everything is about the Internet. On the other hand, most times you will need the Internet for some effects, and without Net Neutrality helping us out, us people will most likely have a harder time succeeding in life. With Net Neutrality ending, the society will ultimately be more messed up than it already is.

Ways To Change Their Minds

For the purpose of trying to prevent it from happening, people were starting to protest around America. On the other hand, teenagers were also trying to help by spreading the words around to text “ RESIST “ to a random number or they can call. There are many websites telling people to help prevent all of this happening. At the same time, the Federal Communications Commission just ignored the people and went along with their plan from the beginning. Education on this topic as well can help give people the knowledge needed to change their minds and think about how to proceed from this situation.

 

Federal Communications Commission

Of course the Federal Communications Commission see what’s going on, but they preferred to stick with their plan. Why?  The commission’s chairman, Ajit Pai, forcefully protected the repeal before and after the vote. He said the deletion of the guidelines would sooner or later assist consumers because broadband suppliers like AT&T and Comcast could bargain with them a broader assortment of service options. His two fellow Republican commissioners also reinforced the alteration, ending in a 3-to-2 majority. Mr. Pai and his Republican contemporaries have resounded the remarks of the telecom companies, which have told supervisors that because of the restrictions to their corporation executed by the rules before, they weren’t increasing and progressing their networks as rapidly as they desired.

What Is Happening Now

In the final analysis, the protesting, websites, and the texting did not help prevent it from happening. According to all social medias, this will still be happening and everyone is devastated to hear this news. People all around the world have tried to stopped this from happening and people in America think that the same thing will happen to other countries such as the UK, and many more. To finalized this, the Federal Communications Commission have decided to keep their decision and will be continuing this plan. Although the battle is lost, the war can still be won. Ultimately we can stop further repeals on Net Neutrality by doing the same thing and writing to Government Officials to stop it.

Works Cited

Future, Fight for the. “Comcast Wants to Control What You Do Online. Do You Want to Let Them?” Battle For The Net, www.battleforthenet.com/.

Kastrenakes, Jacob. “The FCC Just Killed Net Neutrality.” The Verge, The Verge, 14 Dec. 2017, www.theverge.com/2017/12/14/16776154/fcc-net-neutrality-vote-results-rules-repealed.

Theintercept. “Killing Net Neutrality Has Brought On a New Call for Public Broadband.” The Intercept, 15 Dec. 2017, theintercept.com/2017/12/15/fcc-net-neutrality-public-broadband-seattle/.