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What are the positions on net neutrality? What are the positions on net neutrality?
Net neutrality is good Net neutrality is good
Net neutrality is bad Net neutrality is bad
Net neutrality promotes the exchange of information Net neutrality promotes the exchange of information
Net neutrality promotes competition Net neutrality promotes competition
Net neutrality promotes innovation as a launching pad for new web services Net neutrality promotes innovation as a launching pad for new web services
Net neutrality protects service quality for lesser-known sites Net neutrality protects service quality for lesser-known sites
Net neutrality reduces investment in infrastructure and service quality Net neutrality reduces investment in infrastructure and service quality
Net neutrality raises the cost of the internet for consumers Net neutrality raises the cost of the internet for consumers
Net neutrality doesn’t allow for priority traffic regulation Net neutrality doesn’t allow for priority traffic regulation
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What are the positions on net neutrality?
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Net neutrality is good

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Net neutrality promotes the exchange of information

The internet was originally built as a tool for further inquiry, learning, and exploration. Net neutrality promotes the free exchange of information, thereby protecting the internet's core functions.
Barack Obama Thomas de Maizière Ron Wyden Al Franken
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Context

At its core, the internet was designed to be a place of information exchange and open communication. Net neutrality promotes the exchange of information.

The Argument

No matter how small your blog or news site, under net neutrality laws, internet providers cannot block your content or reduce your reach.[1] The implications of this on citizen’s ability to share information are far-reaching. Marginalized communities can ensure their voices are heard, and stories are told online. Large, multinational corporations can be held to account—and the telecom providers can be openly criticized on their platforms.[2] Without net neutrality, there would be nothing to stop a telecommunications conglomerates from blocking its customers from accessing sites that were openly criticizing their services or blocking content at the behest of a government or private entity. If we would like to "preserve the Internet’s ability to serve as an open, general-purpose infrastructure that provides value to society over time in various economic and non-economic ways," we must maintain some form of net neutrality.[3]

Counter arguments

The role of the internet has changed. What was originally designed to allow universities to exchange research has been hijacked by an abundance of false and misleading information. With such a wealth of 'fake news,' the unfettered spread of information is no longer feasible. We suffer from a glut of information but a dearth of verifiable information. Without net neutrality, internet providers could diminish the spread of false information in an effort to maintain a clean exchange of quality information.

Proponents

Framing

The internet's core function is to enable to spread of information. Anything that furthers this objective is 'good.'

Premises

[P1] The uninhibited spread of information is one of the internet's core functions. [P2] Therefore, anything that furthers this objective is 'good' for the internet. [P3] Net neutrality helps the flow of information online. [P4] Therefore, net neutrality is good.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P1] The internet's role has changed. [Rejecting P4] What is good for the internet is not good for society.

References

  1. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/net-neutrality
  2. https://www.itpro.co.uk/strategy/28115/the-pros-and-cons-of-net-neutrality
  3. https://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/press/center-internet-and-society-director-barbara-van-schewick-provides-roadmap-enforcing-net

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This page was last edited on Thursday, 29 Oct 2020 at 19:02 UTC

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