Net Neutrality

      Inspired by the very funny John Oliver segment, I decided to go with net neutrality as THE topic of the past few weeks. Because I didn't know much about the subject beforehand, I went and stalked trusty ol’ Wikipedia (it will be a viable source one day I swear) for some more general information. Wikipedia states net neutrality as being “the principle that internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the internet equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment and modes of communication”. Although a very lengthy description, the most important part and how it pertains to the net neutrality idea running around now is the “treat all data on the internet equally” statement.

This is important because what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering is a new law that will allow internet service providers a fast track lane to both the companies and the people who want to pay more. As an example for if this proposed idea goes through, say you have Verizon (who bought into the fast lane idea) and you want to get on Netflix (who also bought into the same idea), you’ll have faster access speeds. Now say you were trying to get on YouTube (who didn't buy into it) you will have slower access speeds, but you’ll still be paying that same high price for the possibility of the faster lanes just because Verizon in general offers them. Now let’s say you have a little known internet provider, what happens to you then? Well, then you’re screwed sonny. That little known provider may not be able to afford the fast lane so you’re stuck in good ol’ slow mo ville while everyone who has the fast lanes, is speeding right past you. It’s like the fast tracks at Disney and other amusement parks. Sure, they’re good, but it’s an issue of the “haves” and the “have nots” and that isn't really a divide we need to feed even more.

It’s not just little ol’ websites that are against this either. During an Internet Slowdown that took place September 10^th of this year, websites such as Netflix, Reddit, Tumbr, Twitter and Kickstarter all participated in purposefully slowing down their websites to show what they believe would happen if the new rules took place. The FCC decided to allow public comments and according to Slate, there are 3.7 million plus comments so this is an issue that people are very concerned about. But what exactly is the FCC planning to do about all of this? First, they are definitely considering the fast lane, slow lane thing which breaks the whole idea of net neutrality. Second, they’re also considering reclassifying broadband (ie internet) services as telecommunication services, which doesn't break the idea of net neutrality because the name change removes it from the net neutrality domain. Apparently changing the name of something, makes it a whole different matter. Just because we called human rights abuse “Jim Crow laws”, didn't make them not human rights abuse. Seen below is a potential of what may eventually happen if the FCC's proposed idea take place, an internet divided up like cable packages.