You might be hearing about this net neutrality. Well, what is it? It’s the barrier between our connection to certain sites and our internet broadband providers. Take into account that fast internet is expensive enough; with net neutrality being revoked from us, it allows our internet companies to charge us more for certain sites we want to access.

Doesn’t seem like a big deal, huh?

Well, for most of us teens, that means while we’re binging on Netflix or watching videos on Youtube, our parents or whoever pays the bills get handed more costs for those sites if that’s what is changed by the internet provider. It also gives permission to slow down our internet on those websites if we don’t pay.

Mrs. Thomson, an English teacher at WHS, stated, “It”s a big mistake to repeal our internet privacy.”

A tweet by Bernie Sanders, a Vermont senator who ran for president against Trump, clearly shows his opinion: “This is an egregious attack on our democracy. The end of  #NetNeutrality protections means that the internet will be for sale to the highest bidder. When our democratic institutions are already in peril, we must do everything we can to stop this decision from taking effect” (Byrnes).

Another  tweet by the hacktivist group, Anonymous, said the following: ‘The FCC has voted to remove your freedom to information. That said, this will not go unpunished. Anonymous ensures that @AjitPaiFCC, @brendancarrfcc, and @mikeofcc who voted to repeal #NetNeutrality, understand the mistake of taking away our freedom. Expect us” (Byrnes).

It’s a morbid thought, but the government is slowly getting away with taking away our rights as a country.

I also spoke with a few students and my own mother who didn’t even know what net neutrality was. I explained it similar to the above, and all were in agreement that this is ridiculous and slowly destroying our constitution. Hopefully the Supreme Court doesn’t allow this to further ruin our country.

Sources:

Byrnes, Callie. “Hacktivist Group ‘Anonymous’ Promised To Get Back At The People Who Voted To Kill Net Neutrality In This Cryptic Tweet.” thoughtcatalog.com. 14 Dec. 2017.

Photo Credit: Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post via Getty Images