The Pros And Cons Of Network Neutrality

Improved Essays
In this day and age, the internet is accessible for just about anyone, anywhere and is being used all the time. The internet has an incredible amount of different uses and it provides a place where people, regardless of who they are, have equal access to information. There is an issue that has come up, that would jeopardize this ability. Internet service providers want to put blocks on certain things, allowing them to have control what their customers can access online. Giving Internet service providers this power would create numerous issues and take away the equality and accessibility of the internet. Network neutrality is an important part of today’s world and it needs to be continued in order to keep the internet an accessible global network. …show more content…
Once there became a noticeable increase in people using the internet for things like video and audio streaming, gaming, and file-sharing, the internet service providers decided that they were losing revenue because people were able to do all these things and share their internet connection with neighbors. The service providers were concerned about losing money so they started placing blocks so that people could not do or access certain things. They see it as saving their businesses, but in all actuality it may be ruining their business (Bocache). These blocks would mess with consumer’s freedom to access internet content of their choice and to run applications of their choice (Bocache). People are willing and already pay money to be able to use the internet, but they may not be is service providers continue to restrict their

Related Documents

  • Great Essays

    The term net neutrality was first coined back in the year of 2003 by Columbia University media law professor Tim Wu as an extension the concept of a common carrier. The basic principle definition is that there should be Internet equality for everyone regardless of content, platform, application, attached equipment, or mode of communication. It is essentially a type of civil rights movement for the use of the Internet. It also means that no phone company can limit what you can access on your phone such as text, certain apps, and Internet usage. For example in 2007 denied access for its users from sending donations via text messaging to an pro-choice abortion service citing that they as a company did not believe the campaign.…

    • 1266 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Network Neutrality Nuances, Barbara van Schewick argues her stance on network neutrality, and how without it we would be under the relentless abuse of our ISPs. By utilizing a multitude of examples and propositions, she manages to engross the reader in a series of possibilities of what could occur without network neutrality, and how it acts as a measure against discrimination Barbara starts off her point of view by firmly introducing us into net neutrality, and how it is basically the wall that stops a digital divide. Focusing on 3 subjects in specific, the piece introduces the reader to why we should worry about network neutrality, the incentives ISPs have to do it and why arguments against net neutrality are invalid. Barbara very convincingly…

    • 754 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Most of us probably believe we have absolute freedom when it comes to what we view on the internet. However, Barbara van Schewick points out in her article ‘Network Neutrality Nuances’, that we only have access to bits and pieces of the internet (Schewick, 2009). What we are able to view is all decided upon by our ISP. Schewick states that ISPs select what we view in order to maximize profits, to ban content which they consider to be inappropriate, or to keep track of all signals on their network (Schewick, 2009). She does an excellent job of explaining why this is wrong by bringing forth real world examples, using thought-provoking literary devices, as well as by connecting with the reader (Schewick, 2009).…

    • 782 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted a set of rules that would make sure the internet would remain an open and free place. This issue was sparked up when it was discovered that Internet Broadband Providers (ISPs) had the ability to manipulate data as they saw fit for their own profit. In order to uphold the policies that help keep the average person’s data out of their ISP’s hands, a presidential candidate who supports net neutrality must be elected. Bernie Sanders is the best candidate to defend net neutrality because he's against corporate control, spying on American citizens, and supports the FCC's regulations. The internet has become an integral part of American educational, business, and recreational life.…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the mockumentary, “Leaked: The Internet Must Go”, a market researcher, John Wooley, was hired by Internet service providers (ISP) to do market research and talk to people to help them sell their new vision; eliminating net neutrality to reach maximum profit potential. Over many years, ISP has spent billions of dollars to build towers that bring Americans the Internet. However, they believe that there is too much traffic. Their solution to this problem is the “Internet must go”. ISP wanted to create innovative new ways to charge Internet users for the sites they want; however, the only thing stopping them is net neutrality and keeping the Internet open.…

    • 1128 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Good morning Mrs. Facciolo and classmates, today I'm going to talk to you about net neutrality, more specifically; what it is, what's happening to it now, and why you should care. Let's get into it. Net neutrality is the idea that internet service providers shouldn't be allowed to unfairly treat or grant special treatment to particular sites and apps. Under the current net neutrality rules, broadband and wireless providers like Rogers and Bell, can't block or slow down your access to lawful content, nor can they make "fast lanes" for content providers who are willing to pay extra. In other words, your internet provider can't slow your video stream so you'll keep your cable plan, and your mobile carrier can't stop you from using video chat instead of your own cell phone minutes.…

    • 540 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    By the end of this paper you will have a better understanding of net neutrality and be able to make your own decisions on what you think of it. The effectiveness of net neutrality is still being determine. The definition of net neutrality as described by…

    • 1130 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Net Neutrality Regulation Pros Network neutrality prevents ISPs from charging services such as Netflix, Skype, PlayStation Plus, and Xbox live for “fast lanes.” The extra expenses for “fast lanes” are a big challenge for internet users since the services become more costly and small companies are prevented from healthy competition with larger corporations that have the required budgetary means to make deals with ISPs. Network neutrality also prevents bias behavior against users by insuring that users from diverse socio-economic status have the same access to information. The absence of neutrality could give rise to a situation where priority is given to entertainment’s high-speed internet over education (Pil & Kim, 2010). It could also mean a rise in premium charges by ISPs for special access to archives and public libraries.…

    • 1358 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Everyone in this room uses the internet, probably daily, but many of you may not realise a threat which could harm the way our internet works, net neutrality intends to protect us consumers from the threats. Net Neutrality is often mistaken to be related to censorship, or other seemingly unethical act, that's just a small part, the idea of Net Neutrality is, in a nutshell, that all data carried over the internet should be treated equally. This means that any organisation, government or corporate, cannot control the way data is shared. You should be able to access Youtube, Facebook, and all your favourite websites at the same speed as fast your Internet offers.…

    • 914 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    A large amount of people, over 50%, were in favor of keeping “Net” neutrality a reality while only a dismal 18% were against it (Graham). Net Neutrality, or the Open Internet Order, is the basis for keeping the internet an open, and free network for all people to use, previously enforced by Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. This large gap in opinions would lead one to think that today net neutrality would still be around, yet in December of 2017, it was repealed. This repeal came after months of major companies lobbying for and against it, yet even with large favoritism for the Open Internet Order to stay, failure to do so came down on it, even with intense support for its preservation. Somehow, with the power of corrupted money,…

    • 1266 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The main idea is that individual users should be in charge of the content and apps they use on the internet and that the local internet providers should not restrict their use. The internet is unique with how it allows equal access and participation for all users without a sing entity regulating content (Fieser). Traditional media outlets all have strict editorial policies that restrict their content based on political interest, controversy, ideology, space limitations, and other innumerable factors. The internet is most likely the only major media outlet that doesn’t require going through such editorial scrutiny (Fieser). Defenders of internet neutrality work to preserve this freedom from restriction.…

    • 1586 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Manifesto of Neutrality With the last frontier of free speech at risk, one must take action against those who threaten this frontier. I urge anyone who supports a free internet to join me and several others on a path that will shake the foundations of the world. The people that wish to eliminate a neutral internet wish to control and regulate it. But what is there to control if there is nothing to be controlled? We must free ourselves from the shackles and only then will opponents of a free internet realize the wounds it has opened.…

    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Communications Act is a law that has an impact not only on those subjected to its authority but also on the development of future technologies and the greater social order. 82 years after its enactment, the Communications Act is at the center of a controversy seemingly unforeseeable in 1934, Net Neutrality. An open Internet, or Net Neutrality, is possible due to regulations of the Communications Act…

    • 1752 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Years ago, our forefathers established a place that was a haven for the basic rights that come in the form of our Amendments. These Amendments have shaped the way that we live life and form the basis of our government. Recently, however, a new menace has arisen that threatens to take away some of these rights through the act of internet censorship. Internet censorship is the act of controlling and/or blocking information online. As time has passed and the Internet has grown more popular, its restrictions has influenced more people than ever before.…

    • 1358 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In his article entitled “Internet Access Is Not a Human Right” published on the website of The New York Times on 4 January 2012, Vincent G. Cerf, a vice president and chief Internet evangelist for Google, presents his perspective on a controversial issue regarding access to the Internet. He argues that access to the Internet should not be accepted as a human right, “it’s just a tool to achieve those rights.” According to Internet World Stats (2014), over a third of the world’s population are accessing the Internet as a part of their everyday life. This proves that the Internet plays numerous significant roles in society. It makes our lives easier and more convenient than in the past, by providing information, education, communication, business, and freedom of expression.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays