Net neutrality is “a principle of equal treatment of traffic on the Internet” (Svensson, 2007). The current debate about this issue deals with how much control the companies that build and maintain the Internet (mostly telephone and cable companies) should have over the content that runs through them and whether or not they can force Internet content providers to pay for that privilege (Efrati, 2006). The Internet is set up so that users can access any legal web site or application and that all Internet traffic is treated equally. Unfortunately, downloading a two-hour video eats up far more bandwidth than sending an email. As a result, telephone and cable companies have suggested that they may start charging fees to Internet-content companies, like Google and Yahoo, whose content is clogging up large portions of their bandwidth. Companies that refuse to pay might find their content moving at slower speeds than those companies that do pay.
Since cable companies are acting as both Internet service providers and content creators, they have a financial interest in prioritizing their own content and threatening online speech and democracy (Efrati, 2006). Their objective is to keep file-sharing traffic from taking up too much bandwidth and affecting the Internet speeds of other subscribers. However, blocking certain uploads has repercussions in the global network of file sharing. Companies like BitTorrent, who rely entirely on peer-to-peer file sharing, will be directly affected by these restrictions. Those in favor of net neutrality worry that unless it is put into law, broadband providers will try to block or degrade Internet access for some content and services, particularly those that compete with the phone and cable companies (Efrati, 2006). Without some type of anti-discrimination law or standard, these companies could control users' access by “blocking content from competitors, favoring certain applications, charging higher rates to deliver information into people's homes and offices and failing to inform people of their capacity” (Jones, 2007).
I believe that Internet service providers should not be able to discriminate, block or impair their consumers' ability to send or receive legal content over the Internet. No one has the power to stop companies like Google and Yahoo from distributing content over the Internet. If we embraced an open access broadband policy and allowed for more competition among Internet service providers then we would see lower consumer prices along with better speed and service. Instead we have corporate giants who continue to further expand the digital divide within our own country. Currently, broadband services in America remain unavailable for many living in rural and poorer urban areas, and remain slow and expensive for those who do have access (Turner, 2008). We as a nation should want to be at the top of the ranks in terms of our broadband use; instead, we are continuing to fall further and further away.
Resources:
Efrati, A. (2006). A battle for control of the web. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on November 9, 2008 from http://wsjclassroom.com/archive/06sep/htop_netneutrality.htm
Jones, K. C. (2007). Net neutrality debate remains contentious. InformationWeek. Retrieved on November 9, 2008 from http://www.informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=198001557
Svensson, P. (2007). Comcast blocks some internet traffic. Retrieved on November 9, 2008 from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/19/financial/f061526D54.DTL&feed=rss.business
Turner, D. (2008). Free american broadband! Retrieved on November 9, 2008 from http://www.salon.com/src/pass/sitepass/spon/sitepass_website_refresh.html
6 comments:
You definitely do a good job explaining the concept of net neutrality to people like me who are still a little confused. I liked your point about how p2p file-sharing websites would be affected, I never really thought about that before. You also do a good job explaining how it will affect you and me.
I agree that ISP's should not be given this power because this will allow for high rates for monthly Internet usage. Most businesses are increasingly adopting to the usage of the Internet,so how will everyone be able to keep up with this if the power of the Net is no longer in the hands of the people....???
You did a great job explaining both sides of the issue on net neutrality. Even though I already write my own post about it your's definitely taught me some things I didn't know. I like how you fully explained both sides and waited until the end to give your opinion on the subject. You definitely presented a very strong argument for why net neutrality is important. I especially liked how you ended your post by saying that our country should be striving toward a cheaper and better internet, not an internet that increases the digital divide in our country.
yeah i think your right that we're falling behind in the speed of our internet that is provided. this is still such a touchy subject for me though because there actually valid points made by each at opposite ends of the spectrum.
The fact that we are falling behind in technologies we have produced ourselves is really scary. The internet could be the next great equalizer, on a global scale.
I think its crazy that we are not the leading competitor of things we ourselves created. Its really scary to think about. There are valid points made on each side of the issues. However, I find it hard to trust big businesses so who knows how true there argument about non net neutrality really is. I say let the people decide what web sites they want to use.. after all they are the ones paying for the service.
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