#NetNeutrality has become quite a hot topic of discussion for everyone across the country today. Like most topics people are coming across this new term and talking their heart out. But still there are a lot of folks who are not very familiar with the concept of Net Neutrality. This post will help you get a better, broader understanding of the concept along with making you more aware of how a small policy change can be so destructive.
If you use internet in any way, you should be worried about Net Neutrality and the affect of not complying to the same. Internet since the day it was invented has always been a level-playing field. Irrespective of whether you are Google, Yahoo, Flipkart or this blog eWebBuddy.com, there was no restriction over how you access the data. This made internet same for everyone and did not have any kind of preferential treatment i.e. being neutral. This is what is know as Net Neutrality.
Now telecom operators like Airtel and Reliance who have invested a lot on infrastructure for bringing us the internet for years have been trying ways to make more more money from us, their consumers. Going against Net Neutrality are their new business plans which enables sites to pay them in order to deliver content to end-users over faster and in a more reliable fashion. On the other end, users will have to pay more based on what services they would to use! So telecom operators have the most to gain. And smaller online businesses who cannot pay that premium price would be the most at loss. So it is very important for us as internet users to oppose any reforms that go against Net Neutrality.
Though I tried to explain in the simplest way above, I am sure you still have a lot of queries and even some confusion. Below are 5 hand-picked videos that will help you understand Net Neutrality like no one else. Please note that this is not an India Specific issue but a global one. It was first raised in US where biggies like Comcast and Verizon are trying to get away with policy changes which hurt this freedom.
Once you have watched the video – do not forget to sign this petition to ensure that internet stays neutral – Click here to Sign
5 Videos that Best Explain Net Neutrality
1. Video by AIB and SaveTheInternet.com
2. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Net Neutrality (HBO)
3. NYTimes explains Net Neutrality
4. ‘Net Neutrality’ Explained In Under 2 Minutes
5. Why Net Neutrality Matters (And What You Can Do To Help)