Dr. Bruce Farcau
POS 2041
18 November 2014
Net Neutrality: The Open Internet Since the very early days of the Internet, it had mostly been used for sending e-mails and basic communication online. However, as the years passed and the world wide web expanded further, more people began using the Internet for other services such as viewing informative and entertaining videos, enjoying their favorite music, playing unique games, and receiving countless sources of information. Because of this dramatic rise in usage, immense quantities of bandwidth were absolutely necessary to meet the demands of both consumers and companies. Internet Service Providers or ISPs such as Comcast and AT&T are responsible for providing broadband internet connections to consumers all over America. Within the past six years, the net neutrality debate has become a fiercer and heated debate, but has exploded in 2014. Net neutrality is the principle of having all Internet data being equal and free to everyone. The supporters are Internet companies such as Google, Amazon, and Netflix, while those who oppose net neutrality are the ISPs like Comcast, AT&T, and Time Warner. …show more content…
However it wasn’t until 2010 that net neutrality began picking up steam and ultimately exploding wide open in 2014. The first net neutrality rules were proposed by then FCC chairman Julius Genachowski in 2010. He wanted to reclassify broadband networks to be under the same rules as telephone networks. Eventually his rules came into effect that same year with the FCC Open Internet Order 2010. This provided the basis and the start for net neutrality regulations. The next set of rules wouldn’t come until the next year when more regulations were finalized. These rules strengthened net neutrality and gave supporters exactly what they wanted: providers are unable to block neither content nor discriminate online