Net Neutrality

Net neutrality is a principle that says that all information that is on the Internet should be treated equally. It is essentially for the people, so that they can get any information they want without censoring from companies because that’s who it is against: large corporations. If this disappears, then Internet providers like Verizon and Comcast will be able to slow down websites or shut down access to things they don’t agree with. There are many questions surrounding the issue like: should sites that generate massive traffic (like Google or YouTube) pay extra fees? Should carriers be able to sell multi-tiered access to heavy users? How will people who violate the rules be punished? Who would regulate the Internet if net neutrality was eliminated? The problem is that currently, no one has the answers to these questions because no one is even sure if net neutrality will be abolished.

Net Neutrality
This video is all about net neutrality: what it is, who it affects, who is for it and what will happen if it goes away. It speaks about how Pearl Jam's lead singer's critical lyrics about George Bush during an AT&T sponsored event were cut out. If net neutrality is eliminated, things like this will be happening much more often and eventually the Internet will be just as censored as the media, and we will be receiving our information for very few sources. IF net neutrality is eliminated, and that's still an IF, the FCC will be the regulator of the information. They basically have no rules and will be able to do whatever they want and block whatever they want. I think that if net neutrality was eliminated, we, as human beings, would lose an extensive amount of freedom that the United States prides itself on. We would not be in control of any of the information we will intake and we will continue to be manipulated by those in charge.

Google is Competitively Manipulative
This article is about an issue in Europe where complaints filed a case against Google because they apparently punish their competitors by "demoting them in search results". The complaint is that Google favors only its own products and net neutrality is required to stop them from attempting to ruin their competitors by lessening their search results. I found this extremely interesting because I use Google daily and to find out that they have been playing a part in censoring information for their own well being really changes my outlook on the website.

FCC Approves Net Neutrality Rules
This article is about how the FCC recently approved net neutrality rules and about how it is currently working to make sure they are enforced and followed. The rules consist of four principles including two new ones that basically say that broadband providers cannot prohibit information from being put on the Internet and sites being accessed. It shows all of the rules and what they state. After researching net neutrality and finding out about all the issues surrounding it, I became quite nervous because I thought that it was something that would be eliminated and that would result in corporations having complete control of the Internet. But finding out that the FCC is making rules and an effort to ensure that our rights as Americans are solidified, makes me feel a bit better.