Net Neutrality - Gone In A 3-2 Vote

Apparently, yesterday, net neutrality was overruled by a 3-2 vote. For most of us this won't mean much of anything, but it closes the door on total open internet access for all and means that your internet provider/portal can cut off or charge more for access to parts of the internet that previously would have been easily accessible. As I said, for most people that won't mean anything, but for people who are fighting in the trenches to keep access available for splinter groups or subcultures, this may mean a lot in the long run. 

Polls among the population proved that keeping Net
Neutrality was extremely popular among the people, but
apparently that was not shared at the corporate level. 

This vote is political. When consumers are polled, they generally don't approve of constricting web access at all, instead voting in favor of net neutrality. But because of this vote, broadband providers may now block websites, charge for higher-quality service, and/or regulate internet high-speed delivery. It seems to reflect the belief that unregulated business will stimulate innovation and help the economy. I'm certainly not saying that may not be a by-product, but I'm also saying that your internet provider is now going to muddy the water and have different tiers of service, blocking accessibility in some instances completely, based on their personal political and commercial platforms. 

Is your internet one of the Big Four? Your internet content
and access may end up restricted or more expensive because
of yesterday's ruling. I admit, I'm a Comcast customer, but
that doesn't mean I want them regulating my internet access. 

Regulation isn't always positive, but to me it seems as if we are being tossed back into the ages of a single long-distance carrier and dial-up phones with expensive bills. I remember the monthly phone bills while I was in in college; how just one weekly hour-long conversation with my boyfriend (who lived in Tennessee at that time while I was living in Colorado), resulted in bills of $60-$80/month. It was a serious hit to my college budget. There was a single phone company - AT&T, and no choices for any communications across long distances. Now, although I'm still paying that $60-$80/month for a phone, I can call anyone anywhere in the world and I can surf the web, read a book and double-check facts - all on the phone that I carry in my back pocket. I don't want to return back to the stone ages of monopoly and restrictions, paying for every crumb thrown my way. 

It may not be quite this bad, but it could be and that's worrisome.
There's no oversight against making the internet tiered and forcing
everyone to pay more for access in the "fast lane" as depicted above. 

We're all going to have to watch very carefully to see what repercussions and ramifications this 3-2 vote will actually cause. It's not going to be instant, but I'm quite sure the internet providers and portals have had plans in place for a long time that began to be instituted the moment the vote became final. The vote went along party lines - 3 Republicans vs 2 Democrats. Want to know what Net Neutrality really is? Here's a quick video from the New York Times that might help. 



Is this vote all bad? Probably not. But right now Big Business is in the driver's seat in Washington and that's not always a good thing. Big Business answers to their Boards of Directors and the stockholders, and common sense and the common man are often completely forgotten in the pursuit of profit. I'll hold out hope that things, essentially, won't really change, but I have fears about this vote. 

Have a great Friday! We got some snow last night, so I'll have to clear the driveway before getting to the gym this morning. The things I do to get into the pool at 5:00 am. LOL Sorry for the political rant, I usually try to stay away from politics in my blog, but I share my thoughts and this is the direction my thoughts took me.