Net Neutrality on The Internet

Net Neutrality is the principle that every point on the network can connect to any other point on the network, without discrimination on the basis of origin, destination or type of data. This principle is the central reason for the success of the Internet. Net Neutrality is crucial for innovation, competition and for the free flow of information. Most importantly, net Neutrality gives the Internet its ability to generate new means of exercising civil rights such as the freedom of expression and the right to receive and impart information.

Internet access providers enable us to communicate, browse the web or transfer files over the Internet, to make our own websites globally available and to use services such as email, social media or Internet telephony. Everybody, and in whatever role, and all organizations, of whatever size and style, is able to participate globally. Everybody is able to access services and to offer services. Net Neutrality is the internet’s guiding principle: It preserves our right to communicate freely online. It means that ISPs should provide us with open networks — and shouldn’t block or discriminate against any applications or content that ride over those networks. The internet without Net Neutrality isn’t really the internet.

Network neutrality is the principle that all Internet traffic should be treated equally. Network neutrality suggests that service network neutrality is the adherence to the paradigm that operation of a service at a certain layer is not influenced by any data other than the data interpreted at that layer, and in accordance with the protocol specification for that layer.

Net neutrality is the principle that individuals should be free to access all content and applications equally, regardless of the source, without Internet Service Providers discriminating against specific online services or websites. In other words, it is the principle that the company that connects you to the internet does not get to control what you do on the internet.

In the absence of net neutrality, companies can buy priority access to ISP customers. Larger, wealthier companies like Google or Facebook can pay ISPs to provide faster, more reliable access to their websites than to potential competitors. This could deter innovative start-up services that are unable to purchase priority access from the ISPs. Also, if ISPs can charge online services to connect to consumers, consumers would ultimately bear these additional costs.

Net Neutrality is crucial for small business owners, startups and entrepreneurs, who rely on the open internet to launch their businesses, create markets, advertise their products and services, and reach customers. We need the open internet to foster job growth, competition and innovation.

It’s thanks to Net Neutrality that small businesses and entrepreneurs have been able to thrive online. But without Net Neutrality, ISPs will exploit their gatekeeper position and destroy the internet’s fair and level playing field. Without Net Neutrality, the next Google or Facebook will never get off the ground.