The Freedom Of Speech And The Internet

In docket number 14-28, FCC 15-24, the Federal Communication Commission released a document concerning the protection and promotion of open internet. The internet is essential for speech, our economy, business and innovation, making this a very important issue to examine. In a globalized world, the internet keeps us in contact and update with persons and events all around the world. This document deals with the Open Internet Order, which, “prohibits blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization” of the internet (FCC 3). These objectives are aimed at keeping the internet open for users, and providing a functioning medium for business and communication alike. After the Federal Communication Commission adopted these goals of maintaining

It is often regarded as the notion that, the broadband service provider should charge customers only for Internet access without any form of discrimination or favoritism on content viewed by end-users from their respective content providers. The concept of “Net Neutrality” is intended to regulate price and promote competition. Simply put, it is a premised on the principle that all Internet traffic must be treated equally without bias. “Opponents of the Net neutrality on the other hand, see bandwidth as a private resource, one that is supplied most efficiently if exclusive owners take responsibility for managing and conserving it, and are able to optimize its value by exerting control over the content and application it conveys” (Yoo,

Facts: The FCC, respondent, established The Open Internet Order in 2010, which put into place new rules regarding network neutrality. The order made it so broadband service providers had to be transparent with consumers, and could not practice anti-blocking, or discrimination with their services. The first order details that providers must “publicly disclose accurate information regarding the network management practices, performances, and commercial terms of [their] broadband Internet access.” The second order prohibits “block[ing] lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices, subject to reasonable network management,” “applications that compete with the provider’s voice or video telephony services, subject to reasonable

Furthermore, without net neutrality, “Comcast has the potential to slow up or speed down certain internet content, it could slow down ABC content while boosting the speed of NBC content” (“The Case for Net Neutrality”). In the absence of net neutrality, big companies can control the internet speeds based on bias. Seeing as companies such as Comcast have the ability to speed up or slow down specific content without net neutrality, the general public is not receiving equal access to all content. Under net neutrality, major companies controlling Internet speeds would be forbidden, ensuring the equal access the general public currently receives would be protected. To add on, the debate on net neutrality will determine if the general public will be victims to ISPs unfair and dangerous regulations. “The [situation] outcomes appear to give ISPs dangerous and unfair control over the internet, especially considering the role of the internet in [the general public’s] daily lives” (“The Case for Net Neutrality”). Lacking net neutrality, ISPs can control the Internet in unfair ways, greatly impacting the general public’s

(Statement and rebuttal) On November, 21 2017, the F.C.C (Federal Communication Commision) approved a plan made by the F.C.C. Chairman Ajit Pai. His plan consisted in repealing net neutrality to make the internet a safe and better place. Net neutrality is a principle that states that every app, website, and platform should be treated equally. Since the F.C.C. approved this plan, people have been worried about what is going to happen to the internet. People is worried because when the F.C.C. repealed net neutrality they also repealed all the rules that were part of it. Those rules avoided ISP (Internet Service Providers) of blocking, and throttling of every website, app, and platform, but there is something that people doesn’t know. Most of

the August of 2005, the F.C.C. adopted a very important policy statement regarding net neutrality. This policy statement protects several things that are essential to anyone who frequently uses the Internet. It gives consumers the freedom to access any content and to use any application within the law. In early December, 2017, the F.C.C. voted to repeal it. However, just over half of the US states have made attempts to pass legislation that reinforces net neutrality. Net Neutrality protects American “internet freedom”, ensuring that the people can make full use of the internet and prevents Internet Service Providers from having too much control.

The article “Net neutrality is here. What it means for you” briefly describes what net neutrality is and the changes net neutrality has offered to many individuals. Net neutrality also known as network neutrality, means that many individuals are not restricted to having slower internet speeds or unauthorized access to certain applications, websites, or services meaning that the internet is open. The article describes the changes that net neutrality has brought. However, for the most part not a lot changed, many services that had been blocked before by large telephone and cable providers (ISPs) will now allow individuals to regain or gain access to blocked applications and services. Large internet services and websites like AOL, Facebook, Netflix,

The article shares the idea of the restriction to our freedom of using the internet. This has become relevant with current technology as it enables ISPs to control what one sees and uses. Barbara van Schewick explain that without network neutrality rules, users are in a controlled environment that they do not belong into. This entire situation can be thought of as a battlefield. The innocent users are stuck in the middle between the ISPs and internet applications battling. People using the internet are effected in something they should not be involved in. Network providers want an increase in profit hence they slow down bandwidth, block

As President Obama stated in a letter dated November 10, 2014, “We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas” (para. 2). “…neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online” (para. 4). If the government did not impose rules to adhere to, internet service providers would take that opportunity to exploit the opportunity to gouge the users by restricting access to certain sites or information unless they paid the top tier which would be at a premium price. People and many businesses cannot afford high price internet service and only the one percenters would afford the luxury of all access

Throughout the last decade, the idea of Net Neutrality has been the topic of many debates. Net Neutrality is the idea that Internet service providers should not be allowed to block their users from any content regardless of its source. The Debate is still continuing in 2017 with the F.C.C planning to repeal Net Neutrality and allow internet providers to completely regulate what their users can see and charge the users extra for “luxuries” such as social media, messaging, email, and music. There are two sides of this argument, one side believes that Net Neutrality should be taken away, while others believe that it is unfair for the Internet providers to have the right to take away the access to any content. Internet providers should not be allowed to control what content one can view when surfing the internet.

"Net Neutrality The internet is becoming increasingly more and more prevalent in the everyday lives of U.S. citizens. Citizens who should have access to what they want to see, at speeds that should not be compromised because a company does not favor a certain website. Therefore, the United States government has a large duty to monitor internet content so the public can equally access the internet no matter the topic or issue. Net neutrality needs to be enforced by the government.

The concept of network neutrality (more commonly referred to as net neutrality) has been a fixture of debates over United States telecommunications policy throughout the first decade of the twenty-first century. Based upon the principle that internet access should not be altered or restricted by the Internet Service Provider (ISP) one chooses to use, it has come to represent the hopes of those who believe that the internet still has the potential to radically transform the way in which we interact with both people and information, in the face of the commercial interests of ISPs, who argue that in order to sustain a competitive marketplace for internet provision, they must be allowed to differentiate their services. Whilst this debate has

This paper addresses whether we should censor or block access to websites with controversial material. It looks at the issue from several sides: The relevant US laws that are in place, how censorship is used at the university and corporate levels, how other countries are attempting censorship, and finally what I feel about the topic.

Several years after the end of the American Revolution the United States Constitution was being drafted by some of the nations most important historical figures. Politicians such as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and George Washington were just three of the thirty-nine who eventually signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787 (“United States Constitution,” 2015, “1787 Drafting,” para. 7). With the birth of the constitution, came the fear that our newly created nation might slip back under control of a monarchy once again. Therefore, on June 8, 1789, in order to combat such a situation, a group of anti-federalists headed by James Madison proposed a series of thirty-nine amendments to be added to the Constitution. These amendments were designed to guarantee a number of personal freedoms, limit the government’s power in judicial and other proceedings, and reserve some powers to the states and the public (“United States Bill of Rights,” 2015, “Introduction,” para. 1). The first ten of the new amendments, arguably the most important of the thirty-nine, were thus labeled the Bill of Rights. Amendments in the Bill of Rights protect freedoms such as the right to bear arms, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, right to due process, right to trail by jury, protection from quartering troops, and finally the First Amendment, the right to freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceable assembly, and to petition the government (“United States

Regulation of the Internet is a volatile topic. One reason comes from the very nature of the Internet.  While not entirely different from