Internet neutrality Essay

Internet neutrality enjoys a lot of support from consumers, technology companies and online companies. It is also supported by the main internet application organizations. This is mainly because they feel that the users of the internet should be in full unrestricted access to the internet applications and that they should have unregulated choice of the content they wish to view from the internet. The internet has applied the principle of neutrality ever since it was invented. An equal opportunity to access the internet is a basic concept that should be applied at all times, and thus no single user should be denied the right to access the internet. It would be not in order if the broad band carriers were allowed to use their power in the market to discriminate against the less powerful up coming carriers. The same way the telephone service providers are not allowed to dictate to the consumers whom they should call or even what to say in a telephone conversation, the same should apply to the broadband carriers, and thus they should not be permitted to misuse their power in the market to control online activities (Cerf, Para 7). Data would be controlled if internet neutrality is not allowed to continue, thus a legal mandate should be put in place to ensure that all the cable companies allow the providers of internet services unlimited access to the cable lines. Internet neutrality should be denied the right to screen, filter or interrupt the internet content unless permitted to do so by a court order. Internet neutrality should also ensure that there are laws governing digital freedoms and rights, thus the internet technology should remain open and free to all the internet users and this would enhance democratic communication (Zittrain, pp 78). Charging each and every website regardless of its market share would effectively hinder innovation and competition especially to the new small entrants into the market and thus more developments in technology would be blocked. By permitting preferential treatment of traffic in the internet, the newer and less competitive online companies would be highly disadvantaged and slow innovation would be realized in online services. In fact, most of the current major internet providers started as their operations in small garages with little capital and very great ideas, thus without internet neutrality such great ideas and innovations would never have been realized. If the internet neutrality is not maintained the internet would more or less appear like a television cable. It would be dominated by only a few companies who would be responsible of controlling the distribution and access of internet content. This would impact very negatively to some major industries and they would be faced with increased costs in order to acquire secure and fast internet facilities (Nuechterlein, & Weiser, pp 120) Conclusion The internet neutrality should be protected as it minimizes its control by the owners, it increases healthy competition and also gives others a chance to come up with innovative ideas which ushers in new technology every now and then and thus the internet remains relevant to the modern society. The neutrality of the network is very important in ensuring that a competitive and free market exists for the internet content. Work cited: Cerf, Vinton; Internet neutrality law needed (2006): Retrieved on 9th May from, http://www. infoworld. com/d/networking/internet-neutrality-law-needed-vi nton-cerf-says-577. Nuechterlein, Jonathan E. & Weiser, Philip J. ; Digital crossroads: American telecommunications policy in the internet age (2005): MIT Press, ISBN 0262140918. Zittrain, Jonathan; The future of the Internet and how to stop it (2008): Yale University Press, ISBN 0300124872.