Internet Neutrality

For most of us, it’s hard to imagine our lives without the internet. It has revolutionised the way we learn, communicate, and express ourselves. It has paved the way for innovation, and freedom of speech. The way it has been able to accomplish this is by remaining a free and open platform. This concept is known as “net neutrality.” Defined simply, net neutrality means that internet service providers (Telstra, Optus, etc.) should treat all data the same as it travels across the internet. This means that your internet speed and availability of websites should be the same, no matter who owns it. This is how the internet should be, and always has been.

For example, the website for The Age should be delivered to your computer the exact same way as the website for the Herald Sun. You might be thinking, “Why wouldn’t companies want internet equality?” Sadly, the answer is profit. Imagine you owned a business, or a company. You could pay Optus to slow down the website of one of your competitors. This would …show more content…
It actually first became a huge issue in the USA in May 2014, the chairman of the FCC released a plan that would have allowed ISPs to create paid fast lanes, and discriminate against online equality. Thanks to worldwide outcry, the plan was axed. Fast forward to February 2015, and a new plan, Title 2, was proposed and approved, giving net neutrality the strongest protections possible. Throughout 2015, legislators tried to introduce deceptive bills in order to abolish net neutrality. Filled with loopholes, they were presented as ‘compromises’ deceiving many into believing the bill would help protect our rights to an equal internet. Why should government officials, whose roles are to represent their people, be allowed to practice such misleading activity? Net neutrality is in the best interest of ordinary people, yet the committees meant to be representing these people are going to great lengths to unethically swindle