The Pros And Cons Of Net Neutrality

The internet, as we know it, is the quintessential platform for expression. It is a perpetual heap of ideas, opinions, and resources ranging from PubMed, the reliable source for biomedical literature, to a volatile Wikipedia. No matter the site, every person prefers to have internet access without delay. The current debate about net neutrality reminds me of a common psychological phenomenon: when one is told to not look at the clock and then, out of sheer impulse and free will, looks at the clock anyways. Although I may never be found browsing the contents of Overstock.com, I do not want to be told I cannot. The current chairman of the US Federal Communication Commission (FCC), Ajit Pai, is advocating for less regulated oversight of high-speed

His plan is the antonym to the one that is enforced today. Pai’s plan would cease the internet’s treatment as a public utility with strict regulations. The industry would have most of the control over the Web, enabling broadband providers to give special treatment to specific new sites or applications.

As of now, the internet is free and open. Net Neutrality is the current principle that characterizes the rules set by the US Federal Communication Commission. It is the assumption that internet service providers (ISPs) should enable access to all content regardless of the source and do so without favoring particular sites. Without net neutrality, it is possible that providers could start to charge for high speed access to all sites on the internet instead of equal access across the nation. In a political cartoon published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, cartoonist Rob Rogers humorously depicts the American consumer locked in a pillory. On the left-hand side, the man is able to move his arms freely and use his remote to the change whatever he is viewing. Although his legs are locked by the pillory placed by cable companies, at least there is freedom in choosing

On July 12, the Internet celebrated the Day of Action for Net Neutrality. I turned on my laptop that Wednesday morning, embarking on my regular journey around the Web. On Reddit, I was greeted by a pop-up: “This is not a meme. Go on battleforthenet.com to send a letter to Congress and FCC to show how important the Open Internet Rules are to you. If you want to keep seeing cats doing cute things, I urge you to do this.” The front page of Reddit that day was littered with Net Neutrality threads and memes, like the one using Drake’s “Hotline Bling” music video as a template. This meme template has grown popular because of its adaptability; the antipathy and accord visible in Drake’s countenance permits for a multitude of different applications. Net Neutrality memes were “on the rise,” according to r/MemeEconomy, a page which evaluates the quality of a meme. This specific meme was upvoted by approximately 31,000 users and was one of the top Net Neutrality memes on the site. The image of Drake’s anger was paired with the loading icon, whereas a ‘happy’ Drake was paired with saving net neutrality. Personally, the creation of a meme prompted by the net neutrality circumstance was an astute decision because it may have spread awareness about the policy to a younger audience. The meme urged people save net neutrality and provided one to do so; a meme could easily be shared, upvoted, and sent to