As FCC Revisits Net Neutrality, Recall the Day Internet ‘Ended’
The Resurrection of Net Neutrality: A Look Back at the Media and Democrats’ Lamentations
Back in 2017, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made headlines when it announced the end of net neutrality, a set of rules that governed internet access. The media and Democrats were quick to declare the death of the internet, with CNN even running an obituary on its homepage.
However, the internet didn’t actually die. Nevertheless, the Democrat-led FCC is now attempting to resurrect net neutrality, arguing that it will improve consumers’ experience with internet providers. The Washington Post reported that the agency believes restoring the rule will enable better tracking of broadband service outages and network reliability.
While most Americans are unlikely to notice a difference if net neutrality returns, let’s take a moment to reflect on the Democrats’ and the media’s lamentations for its repeal.
Media Outcry:
NBC News: “Internet a ‘Lifeline For LGBTQ People’: Advocates Slam Net Neutrality Repeal”
Some LGBTQ advocacy groups, tech companies, and consumer advocates criticized the FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules, arguing that it would disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
Jessie Daniels, a sociology professor at Hunter College in New York City, expressed concerns about the impact on marginalized communities.
The Verge: “Net Neutrality is Dead. It’s Time to Fear Mickey Mouse”
The media industry faced a significant turning point as Disney acquired 21st Century Fox’s media empire, while the FCC repealed net neutrality regulations. These events set media companies on a collision course with internet service providers, posing a threat to the internet itself.
Washington Post: “The FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules are Gone. Now This is What Could Happen to The Web.”
Imagine airport security lines as a metaphor for the end of net neutrality. With net neutrality, all websites pass through at the same speed. However, without these rules, internet providers could create fast lanes for certain websites, while others are left in the slow lane. They could even block websites they don’t like or that compete with their own business.
NPR: “FCC Repeals ‘Net Neutrality’ Rules For Internet Providers”
The FCC’s decision to repeal net neutrality rules propelled the issue into the mainstream, turning it into a political matter. Advocacy groups planned to challenge the FCC’s vote through the Congressional Review Act.
GQ: “How the FCC’s Killing of Net Neutrality Will Ruin The Internet Forever”
The FCC’s plan to kill net neutrality would give internet service providers control over every aspect of users’ online experience. This would result in extra fees, slow-loading apps, and censorship, transforming the internet into a dystopian nightmare.
New York Times: “The Internet Is Dying. Repealing Net Neutrality Hastens That Death.”
The repeal of net neutrality would be the final blow to an already dying internet. The article draws a parallel between China’s heavily censored internet and the potential future of the internet without net neutrality.
The Nation: “If Trump’s FCC Repeals Net Neutrality, Elites Will Rule the Internet—And the Future”
Net neutrality protections ensure that the democratic discourse on the internet cannot be controlled by a billionaire class dominating other media platforms.
Washington Post: “FCC Net Neutrality Process ‘Corrupted’ by Fake Comments And Vanishing Consumer Complaints, Officials Say”
As the FCC prepared to dismantle net neutrality rules, allegations of fake comments and disappearing consumer complaints emerged, raising concerns about the integrity of the policymaking process.
Opinion columnists were even more pessimistic than their newsroom counterparts:
Obituary: “What if You Couldn’t See This Page?”
The article draws a chilling comparison between browsing the internet in Beijing, where censorship is rampant, and the potential consequences of repealing net neutrality.
Obituary: “Ending Net Neutrality Will Destroy Everything That Makes The Internet Great”
The author paints a dystopian picture of a future without net neutrality, where internet access is restricted, apps load slowly, and censorship runs rampant.
Senate Democrats’ Outrage:
I’ve called #netneutrality free speech issue of our time bc it embraces our most basic constitutional freedoms. It’s vital to our democracy. pic.twitter.com/FV1rkiZodk
— U.S. Senator Al Franken (@SenFranken) July 12, 2017
For all of those who rely on the free an open internet – whether it’s for commerce, education, healthcare, or entertainment – I urge you to join me in creating a firestorm of opposition to this assault on #NetNeutrality
— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) November 21, 2017
This is the end of the internet as we know it. In Congress and in the courts we must fight back. #NetNeutrality pic.twitter.com/ExKx7LFZwj
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) December 14, 2017
I’m demanding the @FCC listen to the thousands of Montanans who have contacted my office, reverse their decision, and preserve our free and open Internet. Ending #NetNeutrality ends the Internet as we know it. pic.twitter.com/T7TqGoa22w
— Senator Jon Tester (@SenatorTester) December 14, 2017
Despite the protests, the FCC went ahead and repealed net neutrality. Surprisingly, internet speeds increased and costs declined according to FCC data. During the coronavirus pandemic, the internet proved its resilience as Americans relied on it for remote work and communication.
Meanwhile, in Europe where net neutrality rules are in place, officials had to ask YouTube and Netflix to reduce their services to prevent internet outages.
YouTube has joined Netflix in reducing streaming quality across Europe to make sure the internet doesn’t go down https://t.co/V826QuSLIU
— CNN (@CNN) March 20, 2020
What are the potential implications of internet service providers creating fast lanes for certain websites while leaving others in the slow lane?
C’s repeal of net neutrality has sparked widespread concerns about the future of the internet. GQ Magazine published an article arguing that the FCC’s decision will ruin the internet forever, highlighting the potential for internet service providers to create fast lanes for certain websites while leaving others in the slow lane. Additionally, they pointed out the possibility of ISPs blocking websites they don’t like or that compete with their own business.
The media industry also faced significant implications with the repeal of net neutrality. The Verge reported on how Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox’s media empire coincided with the FCC’s decision, creating a collision course between media companies and internet service providers. This posed a threat to the internet itself, as the control of access to online platforms increasingly shifted into the hands of corporate entities.
Moreover, voices from marginalized communities expressed concerns about the impact of net neutrality repeal. NBC News highlighted that LGBTQ advocacy groups, tech companies, and consumer advocates criticized the FCC’s decision, arguing that it would disproportionately affect marginalized communities. Jessie Daniels, a sociology professor at Hunter College in New York City, expressed concerns about the implications for these communities.
These media and democratic lamentations over the repeal of net neutrality demonstrate the perceived threat to the openness and equality of the internet. The concerns raised by activists, advocates, and journalists all revolve around the fear that without net neutrality regulations in place, the internet could become a platform that favors the interests of a few powerful entities, limiting access, freedom of expression, and diversity of content.
However, despite the lamentations and fears surrounding the end of net neutrality, the internet did not actually die. Now, the Democrat-led FCC seeks to resurrect net neutrality. The agency believes that restoring these rules will lead to better tracking of broadband service outages and network reliability, ultimately improving consumers’ experience with internet providers.
While net neutrality may not be something most Americans will directly notice, it remains an important issue for internet users and advocates of free and open internet access. The debate surrounding the resurrection of net neutrality highlights the ongoing battle for internet freedom and equal access, and the importance of public discourse in shaping the future of internet governance.
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