How ISPs Could Handle Traffic
What is Net Neutrality? (Part 1)
Net Neutrality is the idea that Internet Service Providers, or ISPs, should provide their customers with equal access to all legal content on the internet. This is exactly what you would expect from your ISP. For example, your phone company shouldn’t tell you who you can or can’t call on the phone.
While this seems very logical, it may not always be the case. Without Net Neutrality, ISPs could slow down a company’s website until they pay an additional fee. They can extort money from companies that can afford the extra fee, and they could even outright block opinions that they disagree with. ISPs are businesses, and in economically difficult times they are going to do whatever they can to make money. However, without Net Neutrality, they possess far too much power.
So why is this important to the average consumer? Not only could ISPs slow down your access to the services that you use, but they could charge you for individual services. Could you imagine paying your ISP $9.99 per month to access Twitter or Facebook? Net Neutrality is also important for small business growth. Starting a small business is already a difficult task. Net Neutrality ensures that small businesses don’t get crushed by larger companies or ISPs. An open internet gives everyone a level playing field.
The next part to this article will discuss the FCC’s decision on Net Neutrality.
Thank you for reading
By Jarrod Claar