Image via Getty/Chip Somodevilla
The fact that this article even exists, whether you're reading it on your phone or on your grandparents' hilariously oversized desktop, is a testament to the power of a truly free and open internet. I can say something like "fuck the FCC," and—thanks to the lack of tiered pricing models that made the cable years such a chore—I can be assured that thousands of people from every possible tax bracket have a chance at reading it and confidently muttering "hell yeah" to themselves or those around them.
Though Democrats successfully forced a vote to repeal the net neutrality changes recently adopted by the Republican-controlled FCC, what exactly is at stake if things ultimately don't go our way? Below, we take a glance at four very real issues worth considering as we hopefully continue our fight to protect the internet from those seeking only to ruin it in every possible way.
The woes of the cable era could be revived.
As hinted at above, abandoning net neutrality could potentially lead to tiered pricing models that aren't all that dissimilar from annoying cable TV packages. Instead of just paying your internet bill and enjoying access to the entirety of the internet as such a transaction should imply, you could end up paying separate fees for specific apps or methods of use. Streaming video, for example, could be sectioned off into its own plan. Want to add music to that? That too, potentially, could become its own place. Fuck that.
Rising artists will suffer.
More than ever, artists rely on the accessibility of the internet to break new music. This is especially true for artists without the distribution boost of a major label or investors. The life of a struggling artist who's commendably dumping all their resources into recording and/or touring costs doesn't leave much room for the added expense of cable-style internet packages, which could have a negative impact on their ability to create.
Fans will too.
As DePauw University professor Kevin Howley explained in his 2017 letter to USA Today, the consequences of a neutrality-less internet are "dire" for consumers and creators alike. "Under Title II provisions, Internet service providers (ISP) are designated 'common carriers,' which are expressly prohibited from stopping or slowing Internet traffic and establishing 'fast lanes' that would prioritize download speeds for a fee—a scheme that amounts to cyber-extortion," Howley said. "Should the FCC plan prevail, the entire ecosystem of the Internet would change." Simply put, the very same hurdles that could complicate a rising artist's career will equally complicate listeners' ability to hear the music.
Living the super rural lifestyle? You're likely the most vulnerable.
The idea of trusting corporations to keep your best interests at heart is inherently laughable, but it's a particularly ridiculous concept when you happen to live somewhere that's not exactly metropolitan. Some have argued, rather convincingly, that the competition between providers could end up resulting in an industry-wide refusal to change anything about how their internet services are offered. In heavily populated areas with multiple service provider options, perhaps this will turn out to be true. However, in more rural markets, there is often as few as one provider available. What would stop this provider from taking advantage of what is essentially a monopoly?