A World Without Net Neutrality

By: Anthony Pinkston

OverviewNet neutrality is what our current internet system is based off of. This allows anyone to do whatever they want with the data that they pay for without having to spend more money to stream videos, play games or download music. Basically, net neutrality keeps internet service providers “neutral” in the sense that they can not change a customers data or cost due to what the consumer is doing with their usage.

Removal of Net NeutralityNet neutrality being removed would be a major change to many consumers. People would not be able to freely browse the internet and use their data packages for whatever they wanted to. Instead they would be restricted and limited. With entertainment industry's being hit very hard.

Online Gaming WITH Net Neutrality

Currently online games can be played no matter which data package you are subscribed to. Though more expensive data packages will provide a better experience, they are not required.

Online Gaming without Net Neutrality

Without net neutrality internet service providers can require consumers to purchase more expensive data plans. And if the consumer does not do so then, “Well you just won`t be online gaming” (Alpha)

Unless paid more!

Movie Streaming WITH the Protection of Net Neutrality

Currently anyone who purchases internet is able to stream from movie services such as Hulu, Netflix or any other streaming service. While streaming the user will not face any drops in normal bandwidth or anything preventing streaming shows. The quicker the package the user purchases the higher quality the stream will be, but purchasing a higher package is not required.

Movie Streaming Without the Protection of Net Neutrality

Removing net neutrality would mean that internet service providers could drastically slow down or even block streaming unless the consumer purchases a more expensive speed package. Leaving anyone who wants to stream movies with no choice but to upgrade and spend more money even if it was not previously required.

Only $7.99 per month!

Not including increased

internet fees.

And

Assuming

your provider

has not

banned

netflix

Under the Table NegotiationsWithout net neutrality, big business such as Wal-Mart could pay an ISP such as Comcast under the table so that Comcast will slow down all consumer browsing speeds to Kroger, Target or any other competition while speeding up browsing speeds at Wal-Mart.com. Causing small businesses to have an even harder time to get started especially when trying to advertise online.

Comcast Wal-Mart

Small Businesses Destroyed with the Removal of Net Neutrality.

Small businesses are what keep large businesses from having a monopoly and completely controlling the price market for a product or service. If net neutrality is removed, big businesses will be able to block a large portion of online exposure for any business they want to. Thus causing small businesses to rely on local advertisement more and having a harder time expanding.

Effects on Education

Computer usage in school is a very large portion of delivering material. But is not as valuable as teacher explanation of material. If net neutrality was removed, schools may have to pay more due to the large bandwidth use or be limited to which sites they can use. Thus causing the school to not have access to as many sites, but wanting to get their money worth so they would begin using the internet as a larger source of content delivery.

Effects on Education Continued

Removing net neutrality could also allow ISP`s to require payments when viewing YouTube videos or other content online. This would mean that teachers would either share less potentially valuable information to students or they would have to enter their credit card information and be charged to teach.

Arguments for Removing Net Neutrality

Every argument has an opposition and people opposing net neutrality claim that removing it will allow big business to be better off. Another opposition is that “People who use more should pay more, and people who use less should pay less," (Mashable). Meaning that people who stream videos or game online should be required to pay more as compared to someone who just checks email. Even if the gamer is willing to sacrifice gaming quality to save some money.

Conclusion

The removal of net neutrality will have many more negative side effects than it will have benefits. And the benefits of net neutrality toward education, happiness and economic stability far outweigh the slight benefits of the removal of net neutrality.

Works cited

• "Government Kills Net Neutrality, We All Pay the Price (Share This Info)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web.05 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEZihk3MWE8#t=613>.

• "The Pros and Cons of Net Neutrality." « Phil for Humanity. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2015. <http://www.philforhumanity.com/Pros_and_Cons_of_Net_Neutrality.html>.

• "Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know Now." Free Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015. <http://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now>.

• "What We Do." What We Do. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.fcc.gov/what-we-do>.• "How Net Neutrality Affects Small Business - Wasp Buzz." Wasp Buzz. N.p., 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.

<http://www.waspbarcode.com/buzz/net-neutrality-affects-small-business/>.• Cook, Vickie S. "Net Neutrality: What Is It And Why Should Educators Care?." Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin 80.4 (2014): 46-49. Academic

Search Complete. Web. 5 Mar. 2015.• Sansing, Chad. "On Net Neutrality." Knowledge Quest 43.1 (2014): 14-15. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Mar. 2015• • Weisman, Dennis L., and Robert B. Kulick. "Price Discrimination, Two-Sided Markets, And Net Neutrality Regulation." Tulane Journal Of

Technology & Intellectual Property 13.(2010): 81-102. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Mar. 2015.• Powell, Alison, and Alissa Cooper. "Net Neutrality Discourses: Comparing Advocacy And Regulatory Arguments In The United States

And The United Kingdom." Information Society 27.5 (2011): 311-325. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Mar. 2015.• "Five Reasons Why Net Neutrality Is A Bad Thing." Sky News. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

<http://news.sky.com/story/1236655/five-reasons-why-net-neutrality-is-a-bad-thing>.