In opening on this topic, some of you may be asking what net neutrality is, as well as how it might affect you as a consumer. Net neutrality is defined as the principle of treating all internet connections equally, and is held to be essential in the area of Internet Service provision since it prevents ISPs from discriminating against select websites or services, thus limiting what users can and can’t see. Many who hold themselves to a libertarian viewpoint find themselves to be in opposition to net neutrality, since they believe that governments should not have any level of interference in free markets, though it is purely up to you as a consumer to decide what you want to believe.
In delving into the timeline of recent litigation with regards to net neutrality as a center focus, the FCC had first began talks of rolling back this standard back in 2017 (with the end result becoming the unlinking of net neutrality from Title II of the Communications Act of 1934). This took place after the FCC received a new chairman (Ajit Pai), who had taken the 2015 net neutrality rules and reversed everything back to square one. As a result of this legislation, ISPs would be metaphorically freed from their chains and be granted the ability to charge companies for speeding up their services, slow down the Internet speed of their competitors, or block off Internet access entirely. This catastrophe would further intensify later that year, in which service providers would begin selling user data without explicit permission from the consumer.
Two years later in 2019, preventative action would be taken by the House of Representatives in order to attempt to restore net neutrality, though it would prove ultimately unsuccessful. Furthermore, in July of 2021, President Joe Biden had encouraged the FCC to reinstate net neutrality regulation, though it remains to see if net neutrality will ultimately make a comeback in our markets within the next few years. This statement comes in light of the fact that individual states are given the right to dictate how net neutrality is instated in their general area, though it is key to remember that the FCC now classifies ISPs as common carriers, which is a huge leap from where we were post-2017.
Taking this all into consideration, you might be wondering what the benefits are of net neutrality versus its more negative impact on society. Rehashing what had been stated before, net neutrality provides a safeguard against censorship, and enables all consumers to be treated equally connection-wise. However, it could be said that such regulation also impacts the way ISPs are able to do business, since they end up focusing more so on compliance rather than expanding or improving their infrastructure. With this in mind, we have compiled a list showcasing the pros of such regulation vs the cons, which can be found as follows:
Pros
- A level playing field would be maintained for all, whether that be small businesses or YouTube content creators trying to make a living
- Free speech and freedom of expression would be able to persist in light of the alternative (that being allowing ISPs to block content or slowing down webpages simply because they do not like the person or business)
- No exclusion from specific content on the Internet would take place due to exorbitant rates
- No additional costs for content would exist, such as the ISP charging for faster video streaming or online gaming
Cons
- Infrastructure investment would not be as highly prioritized, due to a lack of additional generated funds through raised prices
- Users would only pay for the service itself and not the amount of data they consume (which is especially bad for users who want to use less per month)
- Offensive, dangerous, and illegal content would be more widely available to everyone and much more difficult to remove
However, it is important to realize that in a world without net neutrality, ISPs can only throttle your connection given that they are able to see what you do online. With this in mind, it is highly recommended to use an alternative web browser that will help minimize the amount of data that corporations are collecting on you. If you currently use Chrome, Wave Browser is an ideal way to keep all of your bookmarks and settings whilst also safeguarding yourself against prying eyes. If you are interested, navigate to our download portal at wavebrowser.co!
