On Thursday the Federal Communications Commission, FCC, voted 3-2 to repeal net neutrality.
The Obama-era protections ensured that internet service providers (ISPs) treated all data the same which means companies could not intentionally discriminate between websites by blocking, slowing down or charging money to certain online content or outlets.
So, the main question on everyone’s mind is:
What will this do? What does the internet look like without net neutrality?
Removing these regulations gives companies free reign to do whatever they want with online content.
So, if an ISP doesn’t like the content for a website or application, they could prevent you from ever seeing it like Black Lives Matter protests, articles against tax cuts for the rich, increasing student loan debt, etc. Anything a company doesn’t like, they can buffer or just block you from seeing it all together.
Websites like the New York Times, The BBC, CNN, The Wall Street Journal and any other news mediums could only be viewed if an additional payment is made. Cable and Internet packages could isolate specific apps like instagram, facebook, twitter and spotify and charge consumers more for access to those apps.
Companies will control ALL the information consumers have access to, determining what they can and cannot see online.
Basically, as the saying goes, the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer because access to basic information will become a commodity.
Yes, consumers already pay for access to the internet but without net neutrality, companies can treat the internet the same way they treat cable.
They make customers pay for hundreds of channels most people don’t even watch while always ensuring that channels like HBO, a necessity among "Game of Thrones" fans everywhere, come at an extra cost.
What makes it worse, is that, unlike cable, they can actually control how fast online content is and whether or not it can even be accessed. Watching Netflix can even be a problem if your ISP receives more funding from Hulu or other competitors.
Paid prioritization will become rampant. This is when an ISP receives funding from a brand or company to push their content over their competitors or the ISP itself might push its content over its competitors.
Yes, search engines already tailor certain ads and suggested posts based on your search history, but without net neutrality, they won’t even have to attempt to sell their content to you, ISPs can just shove it in consumers’ faces without any regulation.
Net neutrality makes it even harder for marginalized communities to connect online and find support because the messages that are promoted and spread will be regulated. Controversial topics regarding social justice issues and current events can be silenced because companies can regulate which data can be accessed.
Moreover, if all of this does not shock you, it’s important to note that 83 percent of Americans support net neutrality.
Regardless of political affiliation, the majority of Americans can agree that these protections are necessary and access to online information should not be regulated based on the ISP's preferences.
But the fight for net neutrality is not over. Congress can still pass legislation to establish those protections. Text BATTLE to 384387 and call (202) 759-7766 to tell your rep that they must repeal the FCC vote.
