All About Net Neutrality

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Before getting to the topic, I want to encourage you to visit my blog next Thursday, the 27th of November, for a special announcement!

All About Net Neutrality
You've probably heard about something called net neutrality in the news. It sounds about as exciting as dry toast, right? But it’s an important concept and I’d like to explain why. This won’t take long, promise! (If you’re more of a visual person, here’s a quick two-minute video explaining it all: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L11kLmWha6o )

So what IS “net neutrality”? According to Wikipedia, “Net neutrality (also network neutrality or Internet neutrality) is the principle that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally, not discriminating or charging differently by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, and modes of communication.” Sounds pretty good, right? This is, more or less, the system the internet functions on right now. However, in May of this year, the Federal Communications Commission proposed rules that could change all that. Under the new rules, telecom giants like Comcast, Charter, AT&T and others could create a tiered-internet system--pay to play, if you will--where they get to pick and choose what you get access to for a price. Consider how your satellite or cable TV service works right now. Charter offers several packages to choose from, starting with the most basic tier. The basic one gets you a few basic channels (and a bunch of other ones nobody really wants) for cheap. Pay more and you get more channels. If there’s just one channel you want but it’s in a tier above what you have, you have to pay for that whole other level just for that one channel, like it or not. Or you may not be able to get that channel at all. Maybe your provider doesn't carry BBC America for whatever reason. You’re out of luck! So far the internet doesn't work like this. You can go to any site you like and your Internet Service Provider doesn't choose how fast you can get there, other than the limitations of your modem and copper/cable lines. “Net neutrality creates an even playing field among content providers — both large and small — to the web. And it's great for consumers because they can access everything they want online for no extra charge.  Right now, consumers control what they see online — not Internet access providers — and that's thanks in large part to net neutrality,” says Business Insider. But again, all that could change if corporations like Comcast get their way. “Without net neutrality, the company that you pay for internet access could charge you more to visit certain web sites, or could block some sites altogether. Or they could also just slow some web sites down: for example the Comcast video site might work very well, while YouTube would be slow, etc.” says Business Insider.

If you don’t think this is a good idea, you’re not alone. Here are ways you can take action: http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2014/05/16/net-neutrality-so-now-what

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