Net Neutrality - Should You Care?


By Lekshmy Sankar | 12-Jun-2018

Today, the rules that prevented internet service providers from charging websites for a fast connection ended. Last year, the FCC voted to repeal the regulations with more than 20 states suing to try and keep the rules in place, and last month the Senate passed a measure to try and keep net neutrality in place. And today, the House didn't vote on it, and those rules go away. Here are my thoughts on if you should care - 


What is it?
The term that has been synonymous with net neutrality has been ‘internet freedom,’ which many have taken to mean faster, cheaper and better quality broadband. But does it mean that? The term originated with Columbia Professor Tim Wu as the ‘principle that internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particulate products or websites.’ It is a polarizing concept in the IT world but undoubtedly worth exploring. Primarily, it protects companies from being outbid for throttle speed and priority placement on sites like Bing and Google, who prioritize their search results based on speed and reliability.


Brief history:

  • 1970s – FCC was concerned that AT&T (Bell companies) might favor their data processing activities by discriminatory services and conduct anti-competitive activities
  • 1980s – FCC mandated the breakup of AT&T
  • 2000s – The term ‘net neutrality’ was first used. Government disallowed the consolidation of T-Mobile/AT&T and Comcast/Time Warner due to net neutrality concerns stating that the mergers would impact fair customer pricing
  • 2014 – The DC district court struck down FCC rules and required corrective action, President Obama supported Title II regulations for net neutrality, mobile broadband protections were created, and the FCC voted to pass the open internet order (OIO)
  • 2017 – The new FCC chairman proposed to repeal net neutrality; The FCC passed the order (‘preserve an open, fair, competitive, internet for all users’), The Senate passed the congressional review act (CRA) to stop OIO from being repealed
  • 2018 – Issue moves to house for review
  • Today (6/11/18) - the house didn't vote to keep it, so the regulations go away
     

Why should you care? The Repeal of OIO means:

  • Con: There will be no rules to prevent the blocking of websites, services, online content, throttling or slowing down site or services, or prevent paid prioritization for preferential treatment to specific websites or services
  • Pro: Companies will be able to create competitive network management to supplement broadband internet

The Bottom line:
The governance of the internet impacts all of us, and it will affect us financially if not philosophically and intellectually. The overall premise is that having a law in place will protect consumers from telecommunication companies who could ‘throttle’ or slow down internet speeds due to preferred content or companies. No one company or voice is treated better or worse due to their financial status or message, which can be a beautiful thing. It can also be a tricky thing because as we saw not too long ago, some messages amount to hate speech (think of the white supremacy groups not too long ago).

This brings us to a fundamental question surrounding the morality of having such a law- is it ok for the government to influence the web content? Is it ethical? I like to think of the internet as a free market of ideas where without regulation, new ideas and messages can find root and thrive.

As consumers, we do have the ability to see any changes to services and can look at service contracts that change due to deregulation. I don't believe the law of rule will impact us right away, but it is something to watch.

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