Previously, I've written about the threat that net neutrality could be finally killed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and it looks like that day has arrived with relatively little to no fanfare. It's a topic that everyone in the tech world and anyone that interacts with it needs to consider because these changes impact everyone.
The Legal Changes
In case you don't know what this change handed down from the FCC means, let's start there. To finally end net neutrality, the FCC repealed its Title II net neutrality regulations. This puts more power in the hands of internet service providers (ISPs) to do what they like with the internet, breaking it apart further. They also have the power to charge more for some of these pieces. These new charges may adversely impact freelancers, creatives and entrepreneurs the most.
Why The Impact?
Tech companies and ISPs want to make money while consumers and small business owners want to save money. However, even though tech companies and ISPs have the same goal, they don't agree on net neutrality. That's because these tech companies like Google, Apple and Facebook, as well as smaller ISPs, will now be forced to pay out more money on fees to access the high-speed areas of the internet that they previously enjoyed for less. In this way, the tech companies also have the same goal as consumers and small business owners.
At this point, the only one happy with this FCC ruling are ISPs. Aside from the fees, they will also be able to undertake practices that were previously banned because of net neutrality. These practices include paid prioritization and throttling where an ISP could slow down the speed on certain sites or apps so that users might be more inclined to use another site or service that has received paid prioritization. An ISP could even block a site or app entirely.
Although these ISPs are supposed to report when these practices are used so the FCC and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can investigate, there are always ways around it. Because Title II of the Telecommunications Act was repealed, ISPs do not have to report things like packet loss or their performance at peak usage times. This means that ISPs gain even more control over how consumers and small business owners can use the internet.
Since the FCC cannot really police broadband services anymore, the only regulatory body overlooking what these ISPs are doing is the FTC and they already have their hands full.
Loss Of Equality
By making it about who is willing to pay the most to get the fastest and greatest amount of access to the internet, these changes have taken away the level playing field that everyone had to start a business, get important information and enjoy the content that has become so accessible online. Essentially, the gap that so many have been working tirelessly to close, which has opened the way to greater financial independence and ways to tap into making a living, is now being widened again.
What Now?
The good news is that advocacy groups and others are going to keep fighting. All of us can continue to have a voice. In fact, 22 states are suing the FCC over this ruling. That's why it is worth continuing to speak out and illustrate how this ruling violates our freedoms in this country. That's because I believe the right to use of the internet has become a civil right. By making it about who can afford what, I think the internet is losing its democratic environment and, therefore, our right to free speech is now being stifled.
We can use the internet and social media platforms to get more people to speak out as well to shift the power away from ISPs. Since many states like Oregon and Washington are enacting their own net neutrality laws, as consumers and business leaders, we can push our own state to do the same and become part of the movement that lets these ISPs know that we don't accept these changes. Also, this may signal an opportunity for some entrepreneurs out there to disrupt the ISP industry and develop some alternative choices for consumers and small businesses.
Most importantly, we can't give up and think that this is the end of net neutrality. As tech leaders, we can lend a voice to these petitions and advocacy groups as well as innovate for change. With greater collaboration, we can work with consumers and small business owners to find our own way to use and equalize the internet for all. In the past, monopolies have been stopped and we can do it again.
