On December 14th, 2017, Net Neutrality was officially repealed, sparking much concern about censorship, especially amongst the generations who have grown up with the internet. But now, in May of 2019, most people seem to have forgotten about this issue altogether….
--Edrisina Sklar
Net Neutrality is a set of rules implemented under the Obama Administration preventing Internet service providers from controlling what media the user is exposed to. It prohibits companies like Verizon, Xfinity, and AT&T from doing things like slowing down service to specific sites, or favoring others (which would make specific media or platforms more accessible than others.) On December 14th, 2017, Net Neutrality was officially repealed, sparking much concern about censorship, especially amongst the generations who have grown up with the internet. But now, in May of 2019, most people seem to have forgotten about this issue altogether. This is partially because everyday there is something new to discuss; we are in a time of constant and rapid change, and it is hard to keep up. However, the main reason that Net Neutrality is no longer a frequent conversation is that that most of us don’t actually know how this affects our day to day lives.
When a law such as Net Neutrality is repealed, the changes this will cause will not happen all at once, and for this reason will not necessarily be obvious to the public as they are happening, but will develop incrementally. Here’s what’s gonna change for teens online:
- You may notice faster service to sites funded or created by large corporations.
2) Censorship Part 1; Politics: These large ISPs are now legally allowed to make whatever political media they like as hard to access as they like.
While obviously it is not guaranteed to happen, it is essentially within their power for these companies to potentially influence your political views. Especially as young people, we are the constant target for political influence, as we are going to be the next generation of voters.
3) Censorship part 2; withholding of information for fees paid
If specific companies can pay these internet providers to speed up connection to their sites, who’s to say that powerful people (politicians for example,) can’t pay the ISPs to slow connection to web addresses that may contain compromising information? (i.e exposes, specific tweets, etc.) By having the ability to make certain information less accessible, we run the risk of quickly becoming a highly censored society. Since nowadays many people get their news and develop opinions via the internet, it would be very easy for the public to be uninformed, regularly being exposed to a twisted version of the truth. (Whatever version people with the money to pay off companies like Verizon or AT&T want you to see.) This quickly opens the door for propaganda, and concerningly threatens America’s free speech. Another effect of the absence of Net Neutrality could be the further whitewashing of American Society. If for the most part the people who can afford to pay thousands of dollars to silence people are white men, what does that mean for our media? This power in the hands of rich CEOs, or politicians, etc., could easily be used to silence the voices of minorities, creating yet another way to keep people of color, women, LGBTQ people (etc.) down in an already white-centric and racist society.
These are only some of the possible effects of the new lack of Net Neutrality. Though some of these scenarios are hypothetical, that does not mean they are not possible, or even likely. Stay aware, and question authority!
While obviously it is not guaranteed to happen, it is essentially within their power for these companies to potentially influence your political views. Especially as young people, we are the constant target for political influence, as we are going to be the next generation of voters.
3) Censorship part 2; withholding of information for fees paid
If specific companies can pay these internet providers to speed up connection to their sites, who’s to say that powerful people (politicians for example,) can’t pay the ISPs to slow connection to web addresses that may contain compromising information? (i.e exposes, specific tweets, etc.) By having the ability to make certain information less accessible, we run the risk of quickly becoming a highly censored society. Since nowadays many people get their news and develop opinions via the internet, it would be very easy for the public to be uninformed, regularly being exposed to a twisted version of the truth. (Whatever version people with the money to pay off companies like Verizon or AT&T want you to see.) This quickly opens the door for propaganda, and concerningly threatens America’s free speech. Another effect of the absence of Net Neutrality could be the further whitewashing of American Society. If for the most part the people who can afford to pay thousands of dollars to silence people are white men, what does that mean for our media? This power in the hands of rich CEOs, or politicians, etc., could easily be used to silence the voices of minorities, creating yet another way to keep people of color, women, LGBTQ people (etc.) down in an already white-centric and racist society.
These are only some of the possible effects of the new lack of Net Neutrality. Though some of these scenarios are hypothetical, that does not mean they are not possible, or even likely. Stay aware, and question authority!
