For this DIY, I chose to focus on the importance of Net Neutrality when it comes to what we consume in the face of huge media conglomerates that are being controlled by Internet service providers.
In my research, I found that net neutrality has been a longstanding issue of debate since the birth of the Internet. Both large corporations and consumers agreed on net neutrality, as it preserved the integrity of what you could access on the internet, as well as allowing corporations to continue providing their services at a speed that did not change based on the amount of data transferred. There was no ability of discrimination that could occur because all information was sent the same way over the internet, no matter the provider. Putting in regulations by the Federal Communication Commission that establish the equitable treatment of websites, no matter how small or large, allows every business or website a chance. As a Democrat, President Obama was a strong supporter of net neutrality, while Republicans strongly agreed against this. People such as Ajit Pai argued that this prevents competition towards technological improvement on the Internet. However, this fails to address the capitalistic and idealistic way of thinking.
However, without net neutrality, the FCC has the ability to favor or discriminate companies. In the face of huge media conglomerates, this gives them an extremely unfair advantage in comparison to startups and smaller websites. Those with money that would be able to pay for faster speeds would benefit, while smaller websites could be slowed down, and competitor outlets could be throttled. This inequality of access provides already powerful conglomerates with even more power, severely stifling citizens’ abilities to voice their own opinions independently.
Despite the FCC repealing net neutrality in 2017, however, large corporations have done little to implement these possibilities of charging money for faster internet or forcing corporations to pay fees to not throttle their service. This is largely due to the fact of the uncertainty and unpopularity of the net neutrality repeal. Because of overwhelming public opinion, it is apparent that the vast majority of Americans want net neutrality; a poll conducted by _____ found that ____. And the House of Representatives voted accordingly on the Save the Internet Act of 2019. However, this does not give any guarantees to the outcome of net neutrality when it is taken to the Senate or President Trump’s desk; there is no guarantee that it will pass or that Trump will sign it.
However, one of the best ways to take action on this issue is to be vocal on this issue, especially on social media. Being aware of the status of net neutrality, raising awareness with others, and letting your senators and representatives know your stance provides a direct way to join the fight in preserving net neutrality. The outcome of net neutrality is ongoing and will greatly affect the future of the internet and technology.
Elements used:
Music
Clip 1 (Obama)
Clip 2 (CNN)
Clip 3 (Save the Internet)
an inkling 