Net Neutrality

To successfully complete Net Neutrality

READ this blog post.

DO and THINK about the information in the “Learn More About” activities.

LEARN by completing the Hands-On Activities.

Your total time commitment is about 40 minutes.

Introduction to Net Neutrality

“Net neutrality” means Internet service providers and governments treating all online data equally, and not discriminating based on content, website of origin, platform, type of equipment being used, or mode of communication. The “Open Internet” is the Internet with net neutrality in place, with all content being treated equally. The controversy surrounded the concept of net neutrality is about whether it should be required by law.

People who are in favor of net neutrality argue that if companies are allowed to use tiered service models, they will eliminate their competition and control the internet in unacceptable ways (for example, they would be able to pick and choose the Google results you receive).

People who oppose net neutrality argue that companies don’t plan to block content from their users or cut down on their networks’ performance. (Comcast, however, has disproven this argument by doing exactly this.) They also argue that some level of data discrimination is required to provide higher quality service and should be preferred.

Learn More About Net Neutrality

1. Read about the Open Internet at FCC.gov. (10 minutes)

2. Watch Vi Hart’s video explaining lots of stuff I didn’t fit into the introduction above. (11:02)

Hands-On Activities

1. Make a list (written or mental) of the many things you use the internet for. If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) decided that one of these things (a specific website or type of content) was not going to get to you as quickly or as easily as it does now, how would that affect the way you use the internet? How would it affect the providers of the content being blocked/slowed?

2. If you feel strongly about net neutrality, file a public comment with the FCC and tell them what you think they should do.

When You're Done...
Don't forget to submit this form to get credit! You'll also be entered to win a prize drawing to take place at the end of the blog training.