When you go online, you expect to have full control of your internet experience, which means you expect Net Neutrality. It is the internet’s guiding principle prohibiting ISPs like Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T from speeding up, slowing down, or blocking any legal website or content.
The internet has always worked on the principle of Net Neutrality, allowing users to share and access desired information without interference. But right now, the availability of free and open internet worldwide is in jeopardy. Let’s discuss what we can do to avoid ISPs’ restrictions.
What is Net Neutrality?
Net Neutrality is the concept of an open internet where no legal website or content is blocked or discriminated against over others. This means that ISPs should provide users with unrestricted access to any legal website, application, or content. Without Net Neutrality, an internet service provider can block, speed up, or slow down any content or charge extra fees to companies that could pay for preferential treatment.
Is Net Neutrality a good idea?
There are always two facets of an argument, either good or bad. Likewise, Net Neutrality can be favorable for someone or unfavorable for another. A few points can help you decide whether controlling the internet is good or bad.
Freedom of expression
Net Neutrality allows any website, blog, application, news, or content to be available online if legal. This means that the user can freely express his opinions and thoughts on the internet. Regarding movements against any unfavorable government policy, it is only because of Net Neutrality that the protesters can freely spread their words.
Otherwise, the government or internet service providers can manipulate the information, blocking the content they don’t want you to see or streaming videos that are unsuitable for them or against their interests.
Innovations and competition
Net Neutrality is crucial for small businesses and start-ups that rely on the Internet to launch their businesses, promote their products or services, and reach customers. Because of the open Internet, scores of companies have flourished online. Similarly, the open Internet is necessary for job opportunities, innovation, and competition. Without it, we would never have the next Google or Facebook.
Objectionable content and censorship
Net Neutrality makes it possible to access legal but age-sensitive content such as pornography. If an internet service provider blocks these services at a network level, all the devices connected to that network won’t see that content. While there are various parental control software to block inappropriate websites on a family computer, more children have smartphones and internet-connected devices that they can use without parental supervision.
ISP throttling
Internet service providers can decide which service to speed up or slow down. For example, Google’s Gmail could be faster than Microsoft’s Hotmail, depending on how much both companies pay to ISPs. Likewise, providers can crackdown on peer-to-peer file sharing that is responsible for piracy or illegal downloads.
Network expansion and monitoring
The ISPs could charge money for faster or uninterrupted internet access to big bandwidth hogs and invest that money in upgrading their network.
Whatever activity you perform on the Internet can be monitored; however, without Net Neutrality, internet providers could better monitor everything their customers do on the Internet, whether they use information or sell products or services.
The above points clarify that Net Neutrality favors people, and alternatives are only favorable for dictators or internet service providers.
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About the Author
Rebecca James is an IT consultant with forward thinking approach toward developing IT infrastructures of SMEs. She writes to engage with individuals and raise awareness of digital security, privacy, and better IT infrastructure.
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