If you haven’t been paying attention, Net Neutrality is a huge deal right now, and it’s in critical danger. Net neutrality is the principle that Internet providers cannot slow down, prioritize, or block content. Without it, the US could and would have much higher Internet costs, with people paying more for Internet that isn’t super slow and to access certain websites. Providers could also block or slow down content in order to direct profit to their own sub-services. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission), led by Trump-appointed chairman Ajit Pai, now wants to get rid of Net Neutrality. The FCC will vote on whether or not to repeal Net Neutrality laws on December 14th, which is coming up fast. Here’s why you should care:
1. It’s a threat to democracy and free speech
The Internet is a crucial tool for us to keep informed about what’s going on in the world and in the US, as well as to voice our opinions about these things, to organize with others to take action against injustice and unfairness, and to find resources about how to do the above. Without regulations in place, ISPs or even governing bodies (like the President), could potentially block access to these resources, prohibit or hide any content that didn’t fit with their interests, or hike costs so high most people couldn’t access them. This may be an extreme hypothetical, but free speech and democracy are so important to us as a nation and in general, and should be protected by default. Especially in a political era of low government transparency and “alternative facts.”
2. The Internet is a human right
In 2016, the UN declared that the Internet is a human right. It has become so entrenched in our society, used for pretty much everything, that it’s unjust to block access to it. Even if ISPs didn’t take advantage of the repeal by blocking things, they would have no reason not to increase their own profits by prioritizing content, which would raise prices. Many low-income people, students, and people on a fixed income might not be able to pay for online resources they need.
3. It would harm small businesses and artists
Many small businesses and artists rely on the internet to do business — selling their products online, advertising, etc. But without Net Neutrality, providers could prioritize large companies, leaving smaller creators and companies unable to compete or possibly even to afford doing business online. This would harm many people’s livelihoods, lessen money going into the economy, and give more power to already powerful companies.
4. It would impede job and education searches
If certain content is blocked or too expensive or too slow for many to access, that would harm people searching for jobs and education. Many job and internship searches are done online, as is research about higher education programs and financial aid, so it would hurt people by preventing those who already need money and opportunities from finding ways to make money and gain opportunities.
5. It would cause problems for schools and students
If Internet costs are higher, schools would struggle to provide access for students. The cost may be passed onto students, which is unfair and could even be impossible for some low-income families. Schools would spend more money in Internet, because of how crucial it is for education and research, and less on other aspects of education. Public schools would suffer, already in need of more funding for supplies, arts, career help, and more. Private schools and universities would still struggle, and still have to funnel fewer resources into other areas. Students working on projects and papers would face a big problem without Net Neutrality. Our education has transformed over time, so now the ability to do research online is crucial. Think about how much work you get from your professors; students are assigned too much work in too little time to be able to rely entirely on the library for research, and the library may not even be any help if they need to research very current political events or scientific advancements. At Hamilton and at many other schools, educators have incorporated the Internet into their classes in other ways as well: submitting assignments online to streamline the process and kill fewer trees; allowing students to access texts online, usually for less money than purchasing a physical book; asking students to post on a class website in order to make learning more interactive even outside of class time; asking students to find current articles or online content that apply to course material so they better understand broader applications.
These are just a few reasons why Net Neutrality is important. I encourage you to check out the links above and do your own research on the subject, as well as to inform others and contact Congress to express why you think Net Neutrality needs to stay.