A few weeks ago, I presented on one example of digital disruption—how digital businesses (like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon) are not only changing the way we watch TV, but also how TV is being made. I talked to some classmates about the project and got some great feedback, so for this post, I wanted to expand on something my presentation was lacking. Let’s talk about net neutrality (the open internet) and why it’s so important, especially for streaming services. Talking about net neutrality is especially timely as AT&T proposes to purchase Time Warner. It will be interesting to see what the impacts of this could have.
Net neutrality is “the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.” Net neutrality ensures that Internet service providers cannot prioritize websites of their choosing; it upholds are our rights to use the Internet freely.
Thankfully, companies with powerful voices (and a lot of money), were against this proposal.
Quickly following the FCC’s announcement, Silicon Valley companies banded together and wrote a letter in protest. “[T]he [FCC] intends to propose rules that would enable phone and cable Internet service providers to discriminate both technically and financially against Internet companies and to impose new tolls on them. This represents a grave threat to the Internet.”
Netflix was one of the companies to sign the letter. Netflix accounts for nearly one third of all traffic on the Internet. When the proposal had been made by the FCC, Netflix was already in a battle with Comcast over fees it was charging the streaming site for uninterrupted delivery of its content to users. Comcast wouldn’t upgrade their equipment to handle the increased web traffic produced, in part, by Netflix, unless Netflix paid fees. The two companies “battled” for nearly two years, during which Netflix service for Comcast subscribers slowed significantly. Of this battle, Ken Florane, the Vice President for Content Delivery at Netflix said, “Comcast is double dipping by getting both its subscribers and Internet content providers to pay for access to each other.”
Back to the FCC’s proposed “pay-to-play” fast lane plan. In June 2016, a federal appeals court upheld rules for broadband providers that prohibit them from blocking or slowing down consumers’ access to internet content.
“Today’s ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, and it ensures the Internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression and economic growth,” said Federal Communications Commissioner Tom Wheeler.
Net neutrality gives us access to any content we want; access to streaming sites and to binge at our pleasure. To watch and use the internet as we please! If Verizon and Comcast were able to block and slow down our Internet access, this would have disrupted our access to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and other websites.
Another reason that streaming companies like Netflix were against the FCC’s original proposal was in part because of user expectations. People get used to a certain quality and then struggle to return to lower quality. How often do you watch videos on tape? The video quality of DVDs was superior, so we abandoned tape. If Netflix quality improved dramatically because it was in the “fast lane” of internet access, and then one day it couldn’t afford the premium or the lane was “clogged,” users experience would change drastically and negatively impact their business.
There are plenty of reasons outside of streaming why you should care about net neutrality. It protects and upholds your right to free speech. We expect for the internet to be open. “The FCC’s Open Internet rules protect and maintain open, uninhibited access to legal online content without broadband Internet access providers being allowed to block, impair, or establish fast/slow lanes to lawful content.”
Countries like China do not have net neutrality and the government heavily monitors and censors the internet. The government employs over 100,000 people to “police” the Internet. The government also hires people to post pro-government propaganda on the web. If you want to see how restrictive the internet can be, take a look at the Computer Information Network and Internet Security, Protection, and Management Regulations approved by the Chinese government.