The Fight for Net Neutrality
UPDATE: On Friday, June 12, net neutrality rules officially went into effect.
On Thursday, Feb. 26, the Federal Communications Commission approved the new net neutrality rules proposed by Chairman Tom Wheeler by a 3-to-2 vote.
Net neutrality is the principle that all legal Internet content should be equally accessible to consumers and that Internet service providers, such as Comcast or Time Warner Cable, should not favor, block or slow down access to any of it.
Determining how to protect this concept has been a long and complicated process.
In May 2014, the FCC endorsed rules that could pave the way for a two-tiered system, sparking a discussion about the future of the Internet. It meant providers could charge companies for faster delivery of their content. This would essentially create two lanes on the information highway, and one would be a lot faster than the other. Opponents argue that this puts small startups and companies with less money at a disadvantage.
In November 2014, President Barack Obama urged the FCC to keep the Internet open and free. The new rules would classify broadband Internet as a telecom service instead of an information service. That means the Internet would be regulated as much as telephone companies have been for decades.
Wheeler explained, “In general, if an action hurts consumers, competition or innovation, the FCC will have the authority to throw the flag.“
Although the FCC approved the rules that may not be the end of this story. The ruling could be contested in court by some of the Internet service companies.
But when it comes to the fight for net neutrality, at least after watching this video you can say, “Now I Get It.”
