Net Neutrality Vote: What a Repeal Would Mean for Web Users

Advertisement

The net neutrality vote is all the rage right now as there’s a legitimate chance that the Internet as we know it will change forever.

Net Neutrality
Source: Shutterstock

Part of the problem comes from the fact that e-commerce will look different as major online retailers will be able to afford the changes to the rules more effectively than smaller online businesses that rely on free speech to operate the way they do. They would either have to overhaul their businesses or disappear quietly.

The net neutrality vote also raises question regarding what kind of speech is available online as Internet service providers (ISPs) will essentially have the power to choose what flow of speech appears on the Internet.

These companies will be able to do so by discriminating what traffic comes your way in a manner that is more apparent and comprehensive than they are already doing so now. Such a move would give plenty of power and business opportunities to these big companies, while the small guy would be left in the dust.

The move would also give large ISP’s the chance to impose data caps on their customers, thus charging more for services that are faster and better. Due to the fact that ISPs will have no competitors, there will be nothing stopping them from keeping prices higher for simple Internet service.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may not be considering the fact that ISPs may opt to not do the right thing by keeping prices low and not throttling consumers’ Internet speeds, or perhaps the agency is simply overlooking this fact.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2017/12/net-neutrality-vote/.

©2024 InvestorPlace Media, LLC