[Ghost of V]

Please explain.

[Lord Dave]

You like legos(internet).
So does almost every kid(internet users) in the daycare.
The teaches(isps) won't buy any more buckets(bandwidth).
3/10 kids who like legos build big castles.

The teachers have decided that only kids with gold stars get enough bricks to build castles.  Everyone else gets less.  The kids want everyone to get as much Legos as they can.

How's that?

[Ghost of V]

Pretty good explanation, but I have questions..
So they're trying to set up tiers for bandwidth. I'm guessing the reason for this is profit/greed?

Why do some people say net neutrality is the end of the internet as we know it? Are they exaggerating?

[Lord Dave]

Pretty good explanation, but I have questions..
So they're trying to set up tiers for bandwidth. I'm guessing the reason for this is profit/greed?

Why do some people say net neutrality is the end of the internet as we know it? Are they exaggerating?

Well not bandwidth  in total but bandwidth for Netflix traffic.  So pay for better streaming from Netflix.

Because then the ISPs can do that for anything.  Let's say Google pays Verizon a ton of money to slow down bing for its customers.  They legally can.
Or Netflix pays money to Time Warner to give all their customers good Netflix speed but bad speed for amazon video.

[Ghost of V]

And there is a law allowing them to do this, or is the issue the fact that people are trying to prevent this from happening? If they could always control speeds of certain internet streaming services and whatnot then why has this been big news recently? 

[Rushy]

Think of what would happen if ISP's treated the Internet like cable TV. You know when you buy the basic package, you don't get HBO. Well, imagine if you buy the basic package, you don't get Google. Imagine paying an extra "premium" fee for additional sites. Want to watch Netflix? Sorry, you'll have to buy our "internet streaming" package alongside your Netflix subscription.


Think that can't happen? Well guess what, now that net neutrality is not a "thing" there is nothing stopping companies from doing this. All ISP's have been given the green light that they are allowed to treat internet traffic differently between sites.

[Vongeo]

And there is a law allowing them to do this, or is the issue the fact that people are trying to prevent this from happening? If they could always control speeds of certain internet streaming services and whatnot then why has this been big news recently?

There isn't a law not allowing them to do this

[Ghost of V]

I understand the basics now.. the ISPs would be like Microsoft/Sony making you pay to use online on their console. Imagine having to pay for the Comcast Premier Gaming Package just to be able to play online with people, on top of what Microsoft makes you pay for Live. Would be hell on Earth.


How long have ISPs been able to do this? Why haven't we seen it in practice yet?

[Pete Svarrior]

I understand the basics now.. the ISPs would be like Microsoft/Sony making you pay to use online on their console.

You could argue that Microsoft/Sony are not quite as bad, since they simply make you charge for their own service. ISPs could make you pay extra for the right to use someone else's products.

How long have ISPs been able to do this? Why haven't we seen it in practice yet?

My understanding (which may be flawed - I have some interest in American politics, but I don't follow it too closely) is that there is currently a debate as to whether net neutrality is the legally enforceable or not. There was a court case in DC Cir. in early 2014 that concluded it's not enforceable due to the FCC's limited authority. This largely popularised the subject.

I imagine one of the reasons people haven't been abusing this potential loophole yet is that it's not common practice - many countries of the world have specific laws protecting net neutrality, so general industry practices tend to follow. However, since the topic is fairly fresh in the US, the situation could change any moment, which is why securing legal protection of net neutrality is important.