Government is trying to neuter net neutrality

What is Net Neutrality?

Net neutrality: This is a buzz word we hear lot about in the media, but a lot of people don’t really understand what it means, and even less, why it’s important, and why the advocate thinks that changes the federal government is pushing for can be detrimental for the average person.

According to Webster’s, net neutrality is defined as “the idea, principle, or requirement that internet service providers should or must treat all internet data as the same, regardless of its kind, source, or destination.”

Basically, this means that ISPs such as AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, etc. can’t change your internet experience by giving their subsidiaries and the people who pay them preferential treatment online.

This also means they don’t have the ability to speed up downloads for their own services, or throttle speeds for competitors, or charge massive or excessive fees for certain websites or blogs that contain downloadable content.

What the rules are now?

Right now, we have laws in place that say the internet companies can’t change the internet before you get it.

If that were to change? For example, if you search for the newest movies coming out, and you have Comcast for your internet, Comcast could put all the movies made by Universal Studios (which they own) to pop up, front-and-center, on anything you search.

Or, they could just sell that slot to the highest bidder, so no longer would you be getting the closest, most intuitive information brought to you by an algorithm that gives you information based on your past searches and other data-based information. Instead, you would just get whatever advertising or company information your ISP wants to show you.

What the Government wants to change

Right now, Washington D.C. lawmakers, including the Senate and the current president, are trying to remove many, if not all, of the current net neutrality laws. These proponents say that the businesses in question – Comcast, Verizon, AT&T – should be allowed to do what they want because it’s their service.

But there is not much mention of the fact these companies have a near-monopoly on internet service, and the average consumer won’t have the ability to just choose another company that doesn’t clog their internet with ads, or give certain companies online priority.

Change #1

If these laws are revoked, the internet can, and will, turn from the melting pot of freedom and ideas that it is, into pages upon pages of advertising and marketing that you are forced to look at.

Do you know how annoying it is to get an app on your phone that has way too many ads? We are looking at that, except instead of an ad on candy crush, we would be looking at ads on every piece of internet that comes our way.

Change #2

Another part of these proposed changes would mean that the internet companies can charge streaming services, such as Netflix, YouTube or Spotify, for users downloading information.

Which, in turn, will lead to Netflix raising its prices, and YouTube and Spotify no longer being available for free, because they will have to be paying out-of-pocket in order for you to see that random kitten video.

Some people might say, “So what? I’ll pay a little more for my Netflix; I don’t have TV anymore.” Well, a lot of people switched to Netflix because it was a cheaper option to get their entertainment and if these laws are repealed the big fees and charges that these companies charge companies like YouTube and Netflix, like any other charge is going to make its way onto the bill of the consumer, making those cheaper services not so cheap.

Change #3

From time to time you hear something about this on the news, or on a random website, but it doesn’t get nearly the attention that it deserves: This policy reversal is tantamount to an attack on freedom of speech, and most people don’t even understand the term.

This can lead to the ISPs pulling shenanigans against certain competitors and small businesses. If net neutrality laws are pulled, Verizon could bury search results for cell phone competitors at the bottom. And I highly doubt that AT&T is going to let a new digital media business made by an up-and-coming college duo claim the top spot, as long as they own a few of their own digital media companies.

Closing

We at the Advocate say people need to stand up against these changes the government is trying to make, before the only voice we have is drowned out in a sea of advertising.

This is a big deal, ladies and gentleman – most of us don’t want to see the internet turned into a giant commercial, and that’s what’s happening.

Call your state legislators, and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and make sure they are fighting for keeping net neutrality. Make sure we aren’t choked to death by the ads of corporations, because we don’t have another option!

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