Imagine living in a world where internet service providers have the ability to treat content selectively. You are watching an episode of Bojack Horseman on Netflix and your service provider limits the bandwidth for streaming. A world where internet service can discriminate between websites and provide fast-lines for specific content, limiting the access to the other.
You wouldn’t want to live in this sort of world, right. This is exactly why the fight for Net Neutrality is a crucial matter in the US.
Net Neutrality Explained
In simple words, Net Neutrality is a principle that ensures all individuals should be free to access an application on an equal basis, regardless of the sources. Secondly, no internet service provider should discriminate against specific websites or online services. A company should not have the power to control what you do on the internet. Spectrum internet supports this idea and you can view spectrum internet plans for amazing discounts.
In the absence of net neutrality, all the internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon get a right to provide users reduced speeds for services like Netflix or Hulu and prevent them from accessing certain websites by redirecting to a competing website. Moreover, this can create a great deal of discrimination where big corporations like Facebook or Google can bribe ISPs for faster and reliable access to their websites as opposed to their competitors. The effect of this will reach the consumer indirectly as the companies will charge the customers to help with the amount they pay ISPs.
In turn, this will hamper innovative start-up services, as they will be unable to beat the tech giants in terms of funding.
With Net Neutrality in place, the law requires ISPs to follow equality in connecting users to all the lawful content. This way certain sites do not get preferential treatment.
Is There Any Good Reason to Support “Fast Lanes”?
There can be some potential benefits of taking down Net Neutrality. Historically, the concept of a neutral internet was mere myopia. To be honest, the internet can never be neutral even when net neutrality is in place. It is for the benefit of the consumer. For example, your internet service provider prioritizing uninterrupted video conferencing or calling even if many people are streaming high-definition on the same network.
Moreover, it can be utilized to make sure that a telemedicine video conference between a patient and a doctor goes as smoothly as possible. There is another bright side to it. If we legalize the creation of fast lanes, they might spur a great deal of additional network infrastructure invested among all the stakeholders hoping to use them.
What is FCC’s Point of View in All of This?
The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for controlling International and Interstate radio, television, and internet industries. To be honest, we don’t have much competition in the market for Internet and communications organizations. There are regional and inter-state monopolies and the consumers are exploited in numerous ways.
The FCC wants to create a level-playing field for all the companies to operate and they are experimenting with new ways to do so among companies like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon. They are under the impression that scrapping the net neutrality won’t serve the purpose.
The innovation should be fostered and everyone must have internet access irrespective of their geographical location.
Internet Neutrality is Crucial for Small Businesses
If you are thinking to start your own business, this is the time for it. The internet has opened avenues for all sorts of businesses to flourish and grow. To be fair, all the startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises rely on an open internet platform to introduce services, advertise their products, and reach consumers. Therefore, their progress and growth are contingent upon net neutrality as it fosters innovation. Net neutrality ensures open access to the internet and this is the very reason these small businesses thrive online.
In a world where Net Neutrality is taken away, all the internet service providers get a mandate to exploit their gatekeeper position. As a result, there will never be a level playing field.
Final Verdict:
Net Neutrality will be a pressing issue in the 2020-2021 Elections. What do you think about Net Neutrality? Let us know in the comment section below!
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