By: Marcy Carini
Net Neutrality, to me is this idea of a completely open internet. An internet that allows for research and exploration, an internet that fosters an environment of productivity and education. In recent years, there have been efforts to alter the accessibility of our open internet. In recent years, there have been efforts to block certain websites and threaten to make we, the consumers pay for what is rightfully ours, for free. In this post, I will explain the importance of net neutrality and how it is every American’s obligation to fight for net neutrality, as well.
In more technical terms, net neutrality is a principle put in place by the United States government which told Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that they must treat all internet traffic the same. The importance of net neutrality and the importance of preserving gained attention ing 2003. In 2003, Columbia University law professor, Tim Wu coined the phrase in a paper he wrote about online discrimination. Form then on, it has been a rocky road as ISPs have been making efforts to tamper with our free, open internet.
In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) North Carolina service provider, Madison River, who had been blocking and throwing certain things on the internet. This was essentially the first time ISPs began to stop net neutrality. And it hasn’t stopped since. In 2008, the FCC calls on another, perhaps more popular ISP to stop throtting. Yes, this time it’s Comcast for slowing down connection because they’re greedy and because they can. In 2015, there FCC tries, yet again to blocking and prioritizing internet traffic, and in 2017, they vote to free broadband providers to block or throt content as they see fit. And now, in 2019, battle to preserve net neutrality continues. Net neutrality supporters are heading back to court to in fear of these protections being dismissed.
It is imperative to maintain an open internet because it’s really how we connect. It could be connecting in any way, with each other or with something you are researching. I cant imagine a world without net neutrality, I don’t want to. I shouldn’t have to.
Bee Ethical 