Imagine, when you opened your favorite internet webpage, your computer charged you $20 to view it. Then, once you pay for it, it runs so slowly it’s practically unreadable, even though your internet is running at full speed. Or even worse, the page might tell you it is blocked by your internet service provider, because they don’t want you to know the information that’s provided in it. It might sound like some strange computer glitch or the start of a fictional Orwellian dystopia, but sadly it might now be the world we are living in.
On Thursday, December 14, 2017, the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to repeal the current Net Neutrality rules in a 3-2 vote. Net Neutrality is the basic principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, website, platform, application, etc. With it gone, it leaves the door open for internet service providers to block, slow down, or charge extra money for any website they see fit. This is a decisive attack on the general American population in an effort to line the pockets of those already at the top.
The ruling has the potential to allow service providers to charge additional fees for social media, video, sports, etc, similar to how many cable companies operate. It means that smaller, independent websites might be forced to shut down or suffer massive cuts in running speed if they can’t afford the bandwidth packages.
This bid only benefits the greedy service providers and the Republicans in the FCC who are connected to them, and disproportionately affects the poor and the middle class. Some have argued that things won’t be as bad as everyone is saying they will be, that the repeal will make business more competitive and that businesses will not start charging ridiculous amounts for websites. However, it will actually make business less competitive, giving money to giant corporations and stifling small business. It is unclear if internet service providers will use this freedom to negatively impact consumers, but it is wrong that they even have the ability to. If they want to, they can block, censor, or slow down information that doesn’t fit their agenda or political views, which is a blatant attack on freedom of expression for everyone.
However, not everything is so bleak. Thousands upon thousands of people, especially young people, stood up for what they believe in. Many contacted their representatives, signed a petition, or went to a protest for the first time in their lives. It was a cause that united people on both sides of the political spectrum in an effort to keep the internet free and open for everyone. You can help by visiting https://www.battleforthenet.com/, contacting your member of Congress, or signing a petition at https://www.change.org/p/save-net-neutrality-netneutrality. So now it’s your turn. Do something, sign a petition, go to a march, call a senator. Make your voice heard.