FCC reinstates net neutrality policies after 6 years. Did you miss it?
By Curt_Anderson May 4, 2024 2:35 pm Category: Computers (0.0 from 0 votes)
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Longtime readers of my opinions on SelectSmart.com will recall that I wrote that the fears and hype over the repeal of net neutrality were overblown and it was much ado about nothing. Six years later net neutrality is now back. I still say the change won't be noticed.
NPR Host Scott SIMON: Net neutrality was once the biggest controversy about the internet, the principle that broadband providers should not slow down or block users' access to certain websites, nor should they be allowed to speed up access to other websites that pay extra for the privilege.
A lot of people who pushed for net neutrality predicted disaster if it was repealed. Did that happen?
Gregory ROSSTON of Stanford University: No, it did not happen at all. We have had a variety of different innovations in the internet with net neutrality and without net neutrality. It's not made a huge difference either way.
SIMON: What happened? What did make a difference?
ROSSTON: So I think what's made a difference - if you think about the internet, we have internet service providers like Comcast and AT&T. We have content providers like Netflix and Google. And we have users like you and me. And we go through the internet service providers to get content. There's been huge innovation in content and huge innovation in broadband service providers. And at times, regulators have come in and gone out of the picture, and they haven't made a huge amount of difference into what you and I experience as users. What we experience as users is much more generated by new things like having Netflix or Zoom calls.
SIMON: Why didn't the internet service providers take advantage of the suspension of internet neutrality?
ROSSTON: I think because they have a business of selling service to you and me, and they want us to be able to buy higher-speed broadband service so that we can see things like Netflix. And if they tried to take advantage of it to promote their own stuff and degrade Netflix, you and I might suspend our high speed and buy slower-speed service. And they also may be worried that if they did take advantage of the lack of regulation, that they may face stricter regulation.
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