In February 2015, the Federal Communications Commission approved new Net Neutrality or Open Internet rules that prevented internet service providers from restricting access to certain sites or creating fast and slow lanes for web content while also guaranteeing free and open access to the internet. However, the Trump administration repealed Net Neutrality in 2017, so it is no longer in effect. The move has been a controversial one, resulting in protests and opposition from some of the biggest tech companies in the world. Now, with a new president and a new FCC, Net Neutrality is back on the table.
So, what is net neutrality? The following videos and articles explain it more in depth. In one corner are those who want to make sure all websites are equally accessible and also enjoy equal treatment in terms of speed and availability. In the other corner are internet service providers such as Verizon (which initiated a 2016 Net Neutrality challenge) that could, without Net Neutrality legislation in place, charge certain providers like Netflix more money for special “fast lanes” of content distribution. There are also those who are opposed to enacting the same types of regulations and consumer protections that are afforded public utilities.
Read the following articles and watch the videos to see what people are saying about this important topic. Make sure you watch/read all of them because they each present different ideas and information, though there will be some overlap. This can be a confusing concept. If you’re still confused after you’ve read and watched all of the content below, email me so I can help clarify it for you.
1. Watch: What is Net Neutrality?
2. Watch: How the End of Net Neutrality Could Change the Internet
3. Read: Is Internet Throttling a Threat to Public Safety?
4. Read: Democratic Senate Control Could Breathe New Life into Net Neutrality
6. Read/Reference: Wired Guide to Net Neutrality (Contains updated information posted throughout the Net Neutrality battle)
Now answer the following questions in a discussion post of at least 300 words.
1. Which side of the Net Neutrality debate do you fall on, and how do you think internet traffic and content should be handled? State your argument, citing evidence from the above articles and videos, for why you think Net Neutrality rules should be in place or not. MAKE SURE TO READ ALL ARTICLES AND WATCH THE VIDEO BECAUSE THEY PRESENT A VARIETY OF INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC. Again, you must use examples from the videos/articles to support your opinion, and part one of this assignment should make up the bulk of your response.
2. Do you access Internet sites that use large chunks of bandwidth, such as Netflix or Hulu? Keeping this in mind, how might this decision affect you and other consumers of these streaming media content providers?
