Net Neutrality is the Internet as we know it. It is the term used to describe everything on the internet as unregulated, freely flowing bits of information. Net Neutrality is the concept that there is no cast system, no hierarchy of information or order in which it is presented to us. You pay for your internet service, and once connected you're free to explore, create and make public anything you please! Sounds great, right!? So what's the problem?
The problem is big corporations with sticky fingers. Whenever there's something that's popular and unregulated, there a money tycoon who's lurking to make a profit off it. Big ISP companies are trying to create a hierarchy of websites by imposing new fees to allow the biggest spenders to be at the top of the webs visibility pyramid.
Here's a great video that better explains the big debate on the attempt to regulate Net Neutrality:
Which brings me to my question, Why fix something, if it's not broken? Is there something wrong with the format of information that's provided to us through the Internet? I don't think websites should be required to be top bidders in order to be granted access to the internet.
Putting regulations on Net Neutrality would eliminate any chance at a free playing-field to a websites access on the internet. If these regulations were imposed it would be devastating to both consumers and website domains. The increased cost to give free websites "better" accessibility would be passed on to the consumer, which would only cause a dramatic decline in the popularity of that particular website. It would also take away the true essence of Internet freedom which Tim Berners-Lee had in mind when he was developing the World Wide Web.
Click here to sign a petition to support Net Neutrality.
References:
Save the Internet: Frequently Asked Questions. (n.d) Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://www.savetheinternet.com/frequently-asked-questions?gclid=CMKLk9rT8aQCFRpO5QodiCZE1A
Save the Internet: Two Million Strong For Net Neutrality. (n.d) Retrieved October 26, 2010 from http://act2.freepress.net/letter/two_million/
April,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I especially liked the last paragraph. The cost will trickle down to us, the consumers and how I would react is to do exactly like you say and quit visiting those sites.
Thanks,
Andie
Wow April. This is the most informative and well put together post I have read. In a way I agree and feel like what's next? It seems silly to me that the net could be anything but neutral. But I guess on the flip side if someone thinks they have a case they have the right to be heard. Doesn't mean they win, but they have the right to be heard.
ReplyDelete