Network+Neutrality

=**What is network neutrality?**=

toc Network neutrality is the theory that all users of the Internet should be able to access all the content and services they desire as well as have the ability to use any Internet based applications and devices (Free Press). Its intent is to level the playing field between content providers on the web. When followed, this theory enables healthy competition for the providers and freedom of choice for their users. However because there is no current legislation to uphold it, many network operators selfishly play favouritism denying innovation on the Internet. This is mainly done between large corporations often involving large amounts of money or other incentives which prevent smaller companies from competing.

=**How does this affect me?**=

Anyone who uses the Internet in any way, shape or form is affected. The main purpose of a network operator is to provide a service to its clients. In most cases this would be your Internet service provider who supplies you with a connection to the Internet. As the Internet becomes larger and more popular, Internet service providers have started taking advantage of their power. This has enabled them to block or limit access to web pages or applications to better suit their economic interests. Of course there are valid reasons why an ISP may do this. This could include blocking spam and harmful content from their networks (Common Cause). But the negative possibilities outweigh the good by a fairly large amount. One of the most prominent measures ISPs have started using is controlling the speed at which a user accesses different content (Common Cause). Higher priority is given to content providers who have partnered with the ISP or have paid for this higher tier of access. This leaves all the other providers with slow and sometimes faulty accessibility. The result of this is that users go to the faster loading web pages and not the slower ones. Another side to this is that some ISPs throttle the connections of peer-to-peer applications such as Bittorrent. This action does two things at once. It prevents piracy and relieves strain on the network but it also affects people using P2P for legitimate purposes. Some ISPs also limit diversity of content (Common Cause). This involves using things such as start screens, menus, and browsers that promote ISP related content while disregarding everything else. Foreign governments have started using software which controls what websites are and are not allowed. They are also able to block words such as ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ (Common Cause).

=**What can be done?**=

With more and more media content moving onto the Internet is in inevitable that it will become the most prominent means of content delivery. Not only will this give even more power to ISPs but it will also seriously hinder the development and possibilities of the Internet. The United States congress is currently looking over the possibility of rewriting the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Common Cause). Currently Network Neutrality is addressed but it is very weak and has had little to no effect on Internet service providers. There is no mention of what unreasonable restriction or impairment of applications or services means which has enabled them to control access in any way they choose (Common Cause). Stronger protection would enable economic competitiveness, consumer protection, and open access on the Internet. Awareness of this issue is necessary because it is the only way that would put more pressure on governments to do something about it.

=Works Cited=

Free Press. Net Freedom Now!. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2006, from 

Common Cause. Network Neutrality Fact sheet. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2006, from <[|http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=1234951]>