Food, Water, WiFi.
By: Eleana Ramirez | Published Jan. 22, 2019
Similar to how we all have access to the same roads while paying the same toll fees, access to the internet should be structured in the same manner. Further, net neutrality ensures that we as consumers of technology are protected from service providers controlling the way we use the internet in terms of content, access, speed, services, etc. This includes actions such as blocking, referencing, or censoring particular speech or content. In a Wall Street Journal youtube video embedded to the right, I learned about an example of a company attempting to do this in 2007. Verizon blocked text messages from a pro-choice abortion rights group because they believed they could restrict content they consider controversial. Because of net neutrality, this was quickly shut down.
I came upon this article that enlightened me on the topic of net neutrality further. I realized that having access to the internet is considered an essential utility like transportation, shelter, water, etc. After learning that these regulations pertain to literally anybody and everybody who uses the internet, I was shocked I had never heard about it before. The article discusses the aspects of the internet we would either lack or have to pay extra fees for if we were not protected by net neutrality. This excerpt from a Wall Street article explains it better:
“American law inherited from the British an idea called the common carriage, which says that the public always has a fundamental right of equal access to public roads and waterways. Under common carriage, you can set up toll roads and ferries, but only on an egalitarian basis. Everyone gets equal access, and if it's for pay, each person pays the same. Later on, Congress expanded this idea to include wire services such as telephones, as they run their lines along or under public rights of way.”
In conclusion, thank God for Net Neutrality! By having equal access to the internet and its services, we don’t have to worry about circumstances where corporate establishments have power over what we access and how much we pay for it.
Updated April 16, 2023