This is a short research paper on Network Neutrality, providing the consequences of allowing individual, powerful companies to control the Internet.
Zylstra, Jesse
Internet Neutrality
The Neutrality Internet of the Internet is important, and individual companies must not be in control of the Internet. Currently, the Internet is a completely free resource with no central control. Many people argue that Internet is ruining social abilities. This is just not true; According to Jeffery Boase, “People who email the vast majority (80%-100%) of their core ties weekly are in phone contact with 25% more of their core ties than non-emailers. Moreover, those who email the vast majority of their significant ties weekly are in phone contact with twice as many of their significant ties than non-emailers.” Communication is an important part of the Internet, and it must remain open. “Imagine you were choosing whether to buy a book from Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble’s website, and you knew that Amazon’s site would load much faster”… “Or that whitehouse.gov loaded quickly while the site of a contentious political magazine was plagued by delays” (Haugen and Musser). Right now, anyone can start up their own website or host their own server. The changes that large companies want to make would make the creation of websites and servers with various resources; consequently, this would alter the Internet as we know it. This kind of change can never be reversed after it is put into action. The neutrality of the Internet must be maintained.
Works Cited:
Furchtgott-Roth, Harold. “The United Nations Should Not Interfere with the Internet.” At Issue: United Nations. Ed. Susan C. Hunnicutt. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. 19 Oct. 200.
Jeffrey Boase et al. “The Internet Connects People.” Opposing Viewpoints: Technology and Society. Ed. David Haugen and Susan Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 19 Oct. 2009.
Republic, The New. “The Government Should Support Internet Neutrality.” Ed. Haugen and Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Opposing Viewpoints: Technology and Society, 2007. Web. 20 Oct. 2009.
