Eliminating Net Neitrality

Eliminating Net Neutrality

Kyrin Kuhn

What is Net Neutrality?

In 2015 the U.S. Federal CommunicationsCommission (FCC) took down the regulations toensure equal access to the internet—also known asNet Neutrality. “The regulations classify broadbandaccess as a telecommunications service, whichsubjects it to ‘common carrier’ provisions thatbar Internet service providers from discriminatingagainst how broadband is used.” (Nusca). Inother words, the regulations that classify internetas a telecommunications service, subjects it tocommon carrier provisions that stop internet serviceproviders from discriminating against how theinternet is used.

How does eliminating Net Neutrality affect me?

Eliminating Net Neutrality would be like how youpay for your cable; to pay for your internet youwould be able to package some websites togetherand the price would range accordingly. “The 2015regulations makes it possible for telecom companiesto force consumer Internet companies to pay forfaster connections” (Nusca). This shows that if youwanted to visit a website that your internet providerdoesn’t support, they would not only charge you forvisiting the site but also have the connection slowerthan usual.

What else would this affect?

Eliminating Net Neutrality would affect more than the customers purchasing interment, it would also affect small businesses, entrepreneurs, and create and unequal playing field against big businesses.It would affect small businesses because if the internet provider you’re using deems it not useful or they don’t agree with that business they can choose to have the internet users pay to find them and once they pay it would still be a slow connection; the same goes for entrepreneurs, if they tried to start a blog about their business that they want to start,that most likely won’t be shown either. Eliminating Net Neutrality would create an unequal playing field against big businesses because if your internet provider favored, let’s say, Netflix but you want to watch YouTube (a competitor), not only would you be charged for visiting the site, but the connection would be slower too.

What are the pros and cons of eliminating Net Neutrality?

The pros of eliminating Net Neutrality are that without Net Neutrality, enormous amounts of data are consumed without compensation, reduced income from internet uses limits infrastructure improvements, priorities could be assigned by the ISP, questionable content thrives in net neutrality and, public utilities have plenty of problems that many just overlook.

The cons of eliminating Net Neutrality are that Net Neutrality creates an equal playing field, it protects innovation, it provides everyone with a freedom of expression, it would classify internet service providers as a utility provider and, Illegal activities are still monitored. (Vittana)

Companies that support eliminating Net Neutrality

Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association and the National Music Publishers Association—are all opposed to neutrality. (Drutman and Furnas)

Companies that support keeping Net Neutrality

Yahoo!, Vonage, eBay, Amazon, IAC/ InterActiveCorp, Microsoft, Twitter, Tumblr, Etsy, Daily Kos, Greenpeace, Facebook, many activist groups and more.

How can I help keep Net Neutrality available for everyone?

If you wish to keep Net Neutrality available for everyone, you can help by signing a petition on www.battleforthenet.com