What is net neutrality,What is its connection to information ethics

Use the attached outline to complete the full paper.

· What is net neutrality? What is its connection to information ethics?

· Why did the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) pass net neutrality regulations in 2015? Why were these regulations repealed since then?

· What are the rights and responsibilities of the various actors in the sector (broadband industry, government, etc.)? How do they avoid abuse of power issues in relation to internet access?

· It is important to preserve an open internet? Why or why not? What is the most ethical way for the U.S. to proceed in relation to net neutrality in the future?

Structure: Title page, Introduction, Sections 1 through 4 (according to the four questions above and completed in the outline), Conclusion, Reference page, and any Appendices.

 

Length: at least 1000 words and no more than 1,200 words (not including References and any Appendices).

References: at least eight (8) sources (academic, archives, government, news, non-government, etc.).

Format: typed, current APA format (Times New Roman font, 12-point font, double spaced, aligned left, one-inch margins all around, header, page numbers, etc.).

Submission: Word document

 

Title Page

 

 

Abstract

1. This paper aims to discuss one of the most urgent and contentious topics of the modern world – net neutrality, its principles, regulation, and the problems connected with it. Net neutrality, which means that ISPs should not be able to control or charge differently depending on the content, user, or platform, has been a subject of great controversy in the United States concerning freedom of information, corporate social responsibility, and consumer rights. This paper, therefore, discusses the regulation of net neutrality by the federal government through the FCC regulations of 2015 and the subsequent repeal through the analysis of the actions of different stakeholders in the provision of fair access to the internet including the government, ISPs, and the states. The discussion also elaborates on the ethical implications of maintaining an open internet, with reference to users’ freedom and misuse of authority. In conclusion, this paper advocates for ethical regulation of digital networks to ensure open access while managing them to improve transparency, equity, and public trust.

Keywords; Net neutrality, Internet service providers (ISPs), and FCC regulations

Introduction

1. Net neutrality is still an important principle in the present-day world of technology that enables equal access to information, innovation, and free from monopolistic actions of the broadband industry.

This paper examines the ethical issues surrounding net neutrality and why it has become a subject of debate among the regulators and the effects of its removal.

Net neutrality is highly important in providing equal access to information, for the protection of consumer rights, and against the misuse by ISPs because it is ethical to treat data equally, consumers have the right to information without restrictions, and internet service providers should not have the power to control the access and content of the internet.:

 

Understanding Net Neutrality and Information Ethics

A. The Congressional Research Service (2021) defined net neutrality as a policy, which requires internet service providers to provide equal access to all websites and applications without giving preference to some of them.

Net neutrality is associated with the concept of equality, which bars ISPs from discriminating against some services or users for the sake of profit.

ISPs cannot charge higher fees to sites that consume a lot of bandwidth like Netflix, thereby safeguarding consumers from potential higher costs or lower quality streaming.

B. Downes (2017) points out that information ethics guarantees equal information rights to all users, making the internet a fair place for all.

1. Information ethics prevents ISPs from offering ‘paid priority’ where some companies are given priority over others, which may potentially make it difficult for independent websites to be easily accessible.

Non-discrimination by ISPs is for the democratic dispersion of information, where activists and nonprofit organizations can disseminate information to the public without having to pay for preferential treatment.

C. Proponents of net neutrality claim that the policy ensures all internet users have an equal chance to access information, which is in line with the free speech and fair competition tenets.

1. Journalistic organizations can exchange content without the risk of it being demoted, which is important in preserving the freedom of speech.

Small business websites receive equal data speeds, which levels the playing field and prevents large corporations from paying ISPs to prioritize their own websites.

The new rules regarding net neutrality that were set by the FCC in 2015

A. In 2015, the FCC enacted regulations to reclassify ISPs under title II of the Communications Act of 1934, which placed certain restrictions on blocking or throttling of content (Collins, 2018).

1. When the FCC reclassified ISPs under Title II, it could regulate activities that would have limited access to the Internet, such as data throttling on certain websites.

Title II regulations made the internet similar to other utilities, and this made it serve the public interest rather than an amenity, which supported net neutrality.

B. The FCC rescinded the rules in 2018 under the leadership of Chairman Ajit Pai, arguing that it would remove unnecessary regulations and promote innovation (Neidig, 2018).

1. FCC claimed that elimination of Title II rules would enable ISPs to seek new revenue streams and possibly reduce the end user’s cost.

The repeal also led to the increased investment in the infrastructure from the ISPs who claimed that this would make it easier to upgrade their network systems.

C. In an effort to protect net neutrality, some states such as California and Washington passed their own rules to replace the FCC’s decision showing that they support open internet principles (Neidig, 2018).

1. California enacted SB-822, which is one of the toughest state-level net neutrality protections that ban ISPs from throttling or blocking websites (King, 2018).

Washington enacted net neutrality rules that cover all ISPs that provide services in the state and thus became one of the pioneers in the movement for state-level regulations (Witteman, 2022).

Third main point (weakest) Ethical Responsibilities of Stakeholders in Internet Access

A. As stated by Gilroy (2017), broadband providers are ethically obligated to provide service without proactively controlling access to the web to benefit specific content providers.

1. Broadband companies should refrain from utilizing ‘‘pay-to-play’’ business structures that favor big business entities over small ones or non-profit organizations.

ISPs do not limit the availability of competitor services or restrict the consumer’s access to information in any way.

B. The government has to oversee that the ISPs do not exploit the opportunity and that the internet continues to be a public utility that serves the public good (Congressional Research Service, 2021).

1. Public laws such as the FCC rules for Internet service providers do not allow certain activities that would limit users’ access, thus promoting democratic use of information.

Independent authorities assist in implementing non-discrimination laws, which prevent any ISP from abusing its power and restricting customers or overcharging them.

C. Consumers have a right to an open internet and not one that is shaped by corporate agendas that control what content they are allowed to consume (Downes, 2017).

1. Internet users demand open Internet where they are not restricted by ISPs from accessing certain websites or they are charged extra fees to access certain sites.

The US should ensure net neutrality by ensuring that consumers are able to make their own choices of content to consume and to have access to a wide variety of information that is vital in an informed society.

Conclusion

A. Net neutrality is still a vital concept that should be preserved to ensure ethical practices in the digital world.

B. The structure of ethical net neutrality, the FCC’s history of regulation, and the roles of the major players reveal the need for policies that consider the interests of corporations and the public.

C. To ensure that the internet remains an open platform, the United States should further seek moral policies that support net neutrality so that the internet could remain fair, accessible, and innovative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Congressional Research Service. (2021). The net neutrality debate: Access to broadband networks. Independently Published. Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R40616.

Collins, K. (2018). The repeal of net neutrality is official: Here’s how that could affect you. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/11/technology/net-neutrality-repeal.html.

Downes, L. (2017). The tangled web of net neutrality and regulation. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/03/the-tangled-web-of-net-neutrality-and-regulation.

Gilroy, A.A. (2017). The net neutrality debate: Access to broadband networks. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R40616/125.

King, J. (2018). Net Neutrality: What to Expect From California's Net Neutrality Bill. DePaul J. Art Tech. & Intell. Prop. L, 29, 37.

Neidig, H. (2018). States defy FCC repeal of net neutrality. The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/regulation/technology/390674-states-defy-fcc-repeal-of-net-neutrality.

Singer, H. J. (2007). Net neutrality: A radical form of non-discrimination. Regulation, 30, 36.

Witteman, C. (2022). Net neutrality from the ground up. Loy. LAL Rev., 55, 65.