Net Neutrality

What is net neutrality? This is something that until about five minutes ago, I wouldn't have even known the answer to. I have heard the term tossed around on TV or discussed by other people around me, but it is nothing that I ever bothered to learn more about. Well, after doing some of the readings, it is clear to me what net neutrality, otherwise referred to as open internet, is. It is a principle saying that internet service providers should provide all consumers equal access to all legal content and applications without targeting, throttling, or discrimination. Without this principle, internet service providers would be able to manipulate the internet, manipulate it in a way that would divide the internet into fast and slow lanes, allowing premium or at least better service for content providers who pay for it. Also according to the USA Today article, no net neutrality would mean that the internet service providers would be able to display whatever content they want. They would not be obligated to display content from sources that they may not agree with politically, socially, or ethically. They would be able to discriminate against sources for one reason for or another. Since I already seem to be pointing out all the bad things already, I might as well cover what Jacob Davidson says that net neutrality doesn't fix. According to him, he says that net neutrality is good in principle, but it does not address the issue most important to consumers, price and quality, and nor does address the practices of ISP's currently. He argues that if we want to make anything better, we need to back rules that breakup the monopolies that exist with cable services, the solution is more competition.

After reading about net neutrality, I would argue to say that I am in support of it, or at least I think it is a good thing. It's intentions appear to be pretty clear and does not support or even try to push some kind of hidden agenda. I believe that if it is improved upon, it has the potential to do great things. For example, open internet has allowed for entrepreneurs to get access to networks without the undue bias or prejudice from internet service providers. It also has given a voice to social reform. It allows minorities to have a voice, to give them access to a platform or medium where they can express their plight, to bring the reality of racially motivated injustice into daylight, and to also allow minority business leaders to display their companies, products, and qualifications to potential employers, customers, or future employees. If net neutrality is handled properly, it has the potential to make a great change in the world. I am not entirely sure how I would go about implementing this, I know that I would try and promote more competition amongst service providers, to try and break up the monopolies certain companies hold. I would try to make it so that each person, and content provider has an equal access to the network as I do believe everyone deserves to have equal access to it. I would try to dismantle the whole pay-to-play culture that could be promoted sans regulation.