The Internet is not perfect. It has its problems, such as trolls who get everyone steaming mad, connection failures that mess up your day, harassment, fraud and many other complications.
However, it’s still an interesting and fun place to be with many perks, since you can watch shows, movies, etc and have discussions with people thousands of miles away, just to name a few. But an all-new issue may threaten your Internet experience. Companies like Verizon and Comcast want to abolish Net Neutrality, which would change how everyone enjoys and uses the Internet.
Net Neutrality is a complex subject that many people don’t understand. Simply put, Net Neutrality is the practice of ISPs (Internet Service Providers) treating all data equally. The ISP can’t discriminate based on the website or its content. They have to send out the data regardless of its origin. But without Net Neutrality, companies can pay the ISP an extra fee to have their data put on a “fast lane” while others have to have their content delivered slowly. This means that big corporations can crush small businesses who can’t pay the extra price of having their content delivered at a reasonable rate.
So, who will ultimately decide whether or not the Internet will remain open for all? Who has the power? The Federal Communications Commission regulates business over the Internet, radio, TV, cable and satellite throughout the United States, run by Chairman Tom Wheeler. The FCC will ultimately decide the fate of our Internet.
But, the common man is not without power to change the course of this issue. Hundreds of thousands of Americans used the Electronic Comment Filing System to voice your opposition to or support of the preservation of Net Neutrality until midnight July 17th, 2014. On the 15th, the FCC received “around 780,000 comments – which goes to show the strength of feeling over the issue” (Woollacot, Forbes) so much so that the site crashed. Most of those comments are in favor of Net Neutrality.
One of the arguments opponents of Net Neutrality use is that ISP could use the extra money to develop more advanced networks to improve Internet quality for everyone. John Thorne, the senior vice president of Verizon, said the company has no reason to develop advanced networks if it can’t charge companies who would want to use them. While that is certainly possible, the question is: Will they do that? They say they will do that, but after Net Neutrality is gone, will anyone be able to keep them to that claim?
Another argument is as the Internet gets more advanced and more data is transmitted, the companies will need more money from investments to ease the strain on the network. Companies won’t be able to handle all the new data they have to distribute by keeping Net Neutrality. As a result, many vital aspects of our lives will be affected such as security, education and communications. This is definitely a valid argument but we should find a way to increase the capabilities of networks without giving companies control of what quality they can provide.
The abolition of Net Neutrality is just another way for industries to establish monopolies in modern age by eliminating their competition. Not only small businesses, but even other major companies will lose money because of people’s unwillingness to wait for long buffering times. Despite what one may think, this is not completely a conflict between people and corporations. Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google are all companies that oppose the abolition.
Ultimately, the fate of the Internet will be determined soon and we will have to fight for what we believe in. Today, a country like China, which doesn’t have Net Neutrality, has a government that is able to repress public opinion because the government can control how information gets to the people by using surveillance and regulation. Do we want to follow suit and live in a society where the people in charge can censor us? Companies like Verizon and Comcast will take over if we, as Internet users, let them.