On Wednesday, July 12, 2017, companies across the internet came together to protest the threat to net neutrality through Battle for the Net. The campaign is led by the creative forces behind Fight for the Future, Free Press Action Fund and Demand Progress, three non-profits that work to keep the internet and free to all. The massive day of action involved major websites showing users what the web might look like without net neutrality—including slower load times, blocked sites, constant “upgrade” alerts and fees for faster service.
Many people believe instinctively that having no net neutrality sucks, but don’t really understand all of the pesky details like: What exactly is net neutrality? Who does it affect? Which parties are for and against it? That’s why we’re providing you with a .SUCKS crash course on the topic of net neutrality.
The Internet’s First Amendment
The premise of net neutrality is simple: all traffic on the web should be treated equally. It’s basically the internet’s First Amendment. Net neutrality regulations ensure that broadband providers cannot block lawful content, slow down access to certain applications and services (also called “throttling”) or accept additional payment for certain services or sites to receive preferential treatment. In other words, it seeks to keep the internet fair and democratic for all.
Who Supports Net Neutrality?
Big players like Netflix, Google, Twitter, Kickstarter, Reddit and Spotify all support net neutrality, alongside many other companies. Businesses ranging from OKCupid—who sent in-app message to all users asking them to speak out—to Vimeo, who posted an explainer video and graphics optimized for every social media channel, took a stance on July 12 to defend the free net. Even John Oliver had a few choice things to say in support of net neutrality on Last Week Tonight .
Who is Against Net Neutrality?
Typically, big broadband companies like AT&T, Comcast, Bell and Verizon are against net neutrality because if they win the right to slow sites down, they can make companies pay to escape the “slow lane.” As this debate has gathered steam, some have publicly offered mixed and muddled messages to the contrary—but by-and-large, internet service providers (ISPs) are against net neutrality.
Paying for Faster Internet SUCKS
Imagine if Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go and YouTube had to outbid one another to have their services broadcast to you at a faster speed? Your preferred service could be disadvantaged just because they don’t have as much money to throw around. This would particularly impact and disadvantage smaller startups.
Furthermore, some ISPs are also content providers: AT&T owns DirecTV Now, which allows customers to stream TV shows without counting towards their plan’s monthly data cap. Issues arose when it was revealed that AT&T was unfairly favoring its own content. Without net neutrality, AT&T would be free to dedicate bandwidth to its own services and disadvantage (or throttle) competing services.
Net Neutrality, Trump and the FCC
In 2015, regulations were made to protect the freedom of the net and its users. These Obama-era rules allowed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to regulate what internet providers are able to do with their network; in order to keep the internet fair and open to all. However, under President Donald Trump, Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer, became the new FCC chairman.
Under Pai’s leadership, the FCC is proposing to reclassify ISPs as Title I “information providers”, as opposed to Title II “common carriers”. This reclassification would mean the FCC has less authority to oversee the practices of ISPs, and that customers or websites affected by ISPs would have fewer legal recourses to fight their decisions. Hence, the internet-wide protest on July 12th.
The FCC was sued by American Oversight, a legal watchdog group following Pai’s attempt to dismantle the net neutrality order as we know it. The current lawsuit against the FCC concerns their breach of federal transparency law by withholding records regarding net neutrality from the public. In particular, American Oversight wants to know what broadband lobbyists have been meeting with the FCC and, perhaps, influencing their actions.
The Takeaway
The fact that you are online reading this right now means that you have a vested interest in net neutrality. It’s important to stay engaged and stay informed. Don’t let ISPs challenge your online freedoms and rights. If we do, slower access to online TVs and movies could be the least of our worries.
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Photos: Joseph Gruber, Joseph Gruber, Shutterstock / selinofoto, Shutterstock / a katz
