What is Net Neutrality?
According to a 2015 article from NPR, net neutrality is described as the following:
“Net neutrality?
Right, it’s that brain-flexing term that refers to the idea that phone and cable companies should treat all of the traffic on their networks equally. No blocking or slowing their competitors, and no fast lanes for companies that can pay more.
In fact, the term itself was so nerdy that it’s been “re-branded” as Open Internet.
You might have thought things were kind of settled with net neutrality after the Federal Communications Commission passed hotly debated rules in February that redefined its authority over Internet service providers.
But the new regulations could be undone: The cable and telecom industries have taken the FCC to court.
It’s the third time in less than a decade that the FCC’s attempts to regulate Internet access have been challenged in court. Three judges at the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether the rules get to stay.”
Or, you may prefer the “Save the Internet” description listed in their Net Neutrality 101:
Net Neutrality is the internet’s guiding principle: It preserves our right to communicate freely online.
Net Neutrality means an internet that enables and protects free speech. It means that ISPs should provide us with open networks — and shouldn’t block or discriminate against any applications or content that ride over those networks. Just as your phone company shouldn’t decide who you call and what you say on that call, your ISP shouldn’t interfere with the content you view or post online.
Without Net Neutrality, cable and phone companies could carve the internet into fast and slow lanes. An ISP could slow down its competitors’ content or block political opinions it disagreed with. ISPs could charge extra fees to the few content companies that could afford to pay for preferential treatment — relegating everyone else to a slower tier of service. This would destroy the open internet.
Interested? These links will bring you to more detailed information about net neutrality:
“Am I the Only Techie Against Net Neutrality?” by Josh Stiemle
