Pros |
Cons
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1. It creates an equal playing field.
With net neutrality in place, internet service providers have little say on
passes through the mechanisms that are used by customers to access the internet.
There are controls in place for illegal activities, but companies like Comcast
or AT&T wouldn’t be able to change how a customer’s data is delivered to them. |
When the internet was first brought to the public,
the idea of having a streaming service was unfathomable to many.
In the 1990s, internet users had a good time being online in AOL chat rooms
or waiting 20 minutes for a cool website to load. Today, there are real-time video calls.
Companies like Netflix providing legal streaming.
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2. It protects innovation.
Although there are companies which have made billions of dollars because of
their access to the internet, they were able to get started on the same footing.
Innovation is protected with the internet remains neutral. Big companies
still have the same access as SMBs or freelancers and this allows everyone to
earn a comfortable living or offer information in a way that best suits them. |
There are certain businesses and high-use individuals
who consume large amounts of bandwidth every month. If net neutrality was
removed, these high-level consumers would be asked to pay more for what they
consume. This added income could then be used to upgrade the infrastructure of
each internet service provider, making it possible for advanced fiber
networks to be installed in many communities.
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Questionable content can be found on the internet if
you’re willing to look for it – and sometimes even when you’re not looking
for it. The goal of net neutrality is to provide every person with an
experience that is optimal. This means illegal activities are still prevented
including illegal file sharing, due to the fact that each ISP would be treated
as a regulated common carrier. |
Content that some may find to be offensive is
readily available to anyone because of net neutrality. This includes items that
may be critical of personal or religious beliefs, legal pornography,
graphic videos, and items that are not suitable for children. There are tools
that can help people and families block this content, but an argument could be
made that net neutrality could “filter” it out before it reaches the consumer.
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