How to Explain Net Neutrality to Your Homies

President Barack Obama announced his stance on “net neutrality” yesterday in a written letter. The issue of the internet continuation as a unregulated platform is currently being debated by the FCC and telecommunication companies. For many people, news reports about the subject are worded heavily with technical and political jargon. To help your homies understand how “net neutrality” affect their daily internet usage, here’s the easiest way to explain what it means.

Right now, internet users have free will to visit any site they choose. As compared to your household electricity bill (ex. GA Power), you pay a monthly fee based on the amount of energy used. Although you pay GA Power each month, you as a homeowner can independently choose to do what you want with your electricity. If you want to leave the backyard sensor light on day-to-day, you have that choice. GA Power does not have the power to regulate what you do with your electricity in your home.  

This is net neutrality. 

Unfortunately, cable providers are fighting to regulate the internet. With companies like Comcast who offer internet service, telecommunication giants believe that internet should make them money. If they had it their way, they would sell internet content the exact same way cable channels are sold (i.e. HBO package, Sports, etc). In an regulated environment, customers will only have access to sites and content that they’ve paid for. 

Obama argues that if the we put regulations on the internet, we then “allow ISP to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas.”  Ultimately, Obama believes that the internet should be a free area of creativity and of free use. The internet should not be controlled based on a person’s subscription (or paid service) through an utility.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NET NEUTRALITY? DO YOU AGREE WITH OBAMA OR NAH?