Net Neutrality - Advantages and Disadvantages

Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages


The net neutrality debate is not only waging in India but across the world. After all what is net neutrality and why is there so much controversy surrounding the matter? In simplest terms, net neutrality can be defined as the principle that all internet traffic must be treated equally. The supporters of net neutrality are of view that internet service providers should not have any right to restrict certain forms of internet traffic on their respective networks. Do you agree? Are you in support of net neutrality?

Advantages

• The big telecom companies can provide the ways but don’t have any right to direct how the people should walk on them. They cannot differentiate between the different groups.

• Net neutrality has remained a core democratizing tenet of the internet since the time it came into existence.

• Net neutrality protects innovation and if big companies like Google and Netflix could pay to get exceptional treatment, more bandwidth, faster speeds, the new start-up firms would be at a disadvantage.

• It will also negatively affect freedom of speech. In absence of net neutrality, the big companies could give priority to TV networks from videos it owns and slow down the signals from its peers.

• Net neutrality supports competitive marketplace and provides chance to every firm, from big companies to small start-ups to take part in it.

• If net was not neutral, Google, Facebook or Zomato would not have been able to reach where they are today. Curbing netizens right to a neutral net will be a big blow for the budding entrepreneurs.

Disadvantages

• Times have changed. Today YouTube and Netflix clog the pipes with huge amounts of data. The users download insane amount of software, music and movies illegally. The changes will put a restriction.

• The various companies like Google have created services that allow people to make calls for free on networks that telecom companies have spent billions to build. Net neutrality is injustice to these companies.

• Net neutrality do not protects innovation instead stifles innovation. If the telecom companies can charge higher fees to the prime bandwidth hogs, they can also afford to develop advanced fiber networks that support all forms of new Internet services.

• Some level of prioritization or restriction is essential to support the best interest of consumers as a whole.

• Bandwidth is definitely a limited commodity and regulation will help restrict illegal use of the platform.

Conclusion

The Internet has grown at an exceptional pace since its inception in the early 1990's, and this extraordinary growth is largely due to the freedoms and protections that net neutrality offers. Groundbreaking ideas and novel products like YouTube, Google, eBay and torrents have reached to where they are because of net neutrality. There are thousands of new online stores, start-ups, and simple ecommerce sites that hope to make big every day. Net neutrality promotes creative expression.
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    Discussion

  • RE: Net Neutrality - Advantages and Disadvantages -Chris (12/02/17)
  • I read in the comments somewhere that no Net Neutrality encourages a monopoly type of marketplace, which I'd like to point out is actually not true, nor an existing model for any marketplace. It creates the opposite. -Less- regulation (more Net Neutrality) is actually what promotes monopolies. It's what allows for giants like Comcast/Xfinity to rise up and beat out all the competition without anything more than a slap on the wrist (if that). I just want to make it clear that less regulation promotes monopolies and big business, whereas more regulation promotes small business and individuals. Neither one is good or bad, but too much of one or the other is ALWAYS bad.

    The truth is, even the Net needs some form of regulation, or it'd be chaos. TRUE Net Neutrality would be the equivalent of Anarchy if we were to compare it to Governmental and Economic models. The opposite would be what we call Tyranny. So, what we have isn't true Net Neutrality. That would be just as bad as no Net Neutrality at all. Just like we need freedoms and regulations to keep us in line and keep us happy, so too do we need a balance of regulations and freedoms to keep Net Neutrality where it needs to be to benefit all parties, or, if it can't benefit all parties, compromise in a way that all parties agree to.

    In short, there's not a simple solution, but, so far, both solutions I've seen are two extremes that have just as many pros as they do cons. It's going to be a debate for a very long time, just as Freedom vs. Regulation has been a debate in Government and Economics since as far back in history as the two have existed.
  • RE: Net Neutrality - Advantages and Disadvantages -METHODIC Marketing (11/27/17)
  • "Net neutrality supports competitive marketplace and provides chance to every firm, from big companies to small start-ups to take part in it." A competitive marketplace enables start-ups to potentially grow big someday. Ceasing Net Neutrality will mean an end to start-ups from getting a piece of the pie.
  • RE: Net Neutrality - Advantages and Disadvantages -A Concerned Person (11/23/17)
  • Some of the disadvantages don't make sense.
    Such as,

    The various companies like Google have created services that allow people to make calls for free on networks that telecom companies have spent billions to build. Net neutrality is injustice to these companies.

    You already pay the telecommunication company to access the internet and mobile network. Googles services will require you to have access to these networks. The telecom gets their money.

    This is misleading.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -maha (08/18/16)
  • defntly net neutrality shud b there.bcoz it promotes innovation,freedom of speech,drive entrepreneurship and supports competitive market place to all.it encourages even the small start-ups.if net neutrality is not there user will refrain from certain websites just bcoz they charge more.epecially online readers will be affected.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Balaji (02/11/16)
  • Net Neutrality is about price equality. First to achieve They must separate the usage as Browsing and Downloads. Because everything comes under two roofs. Fix a equilibrium price for the two. That's it It is always a step by step process in achieving a pure internet neutrality
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -shubham (02/10/16)
  • hello everyone !
    according to my openion net neutrality should be there .because it provide same platform for all website. if net neutrality won't be there then google facebook you tube companies didn't get their current position. it provide very good oppertunity for startup's .but it has a drawback that due to net nutrality like facebook provide video calling. so that telecom companies will be in loss.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Sandeep Sharma (01/05/16)
  • I support differential Net Neutrality.
    Taking the issue practically is very important.Technology advancement in country like ours is very much dependent on infrastructure.WHile on one hand Technology is touching the scale of 5G, we have still not covered well enough in 3G.The problem is much deeper for 4G spectrum and tower implantation.The huge cost is difficult to meet.And day by day, the TRAi and regulators emphasize more on call rate reduction.If one uses a highway, one must pay the toll too.But, not completely.Firstly, we don't have laws as to evaluate and tax online website and E-commerce Co.Overall, they(facebook, google, ebay, etc) draw huge revenue from market of which no apt tax can be levied.BY THE WORD DIFFRENTIAL i mean, every firm must use bandwidth free of cost but with a threshold limit above which it will have to pay to the service providers.This wil definitely keep a track of bandwidth usage, indirect taxes that they pay through telecom operators and keeping the interest of a fair market.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Nishant P Kawade (01/03/16)
  • Every big company in world started with big idea. Net neutrality should be the basic right. Every one should get equal opportunity to grow
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -pavanbobade (01/03/16)
  • hello,
    I would like to know about, if the net speed is same. in that case, downloading speed and surfing speed are same?
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -meghna (10/25/15)
  • net neutrality is essential because it provides equality .if some sites has good content but due to high price of accessing that we wouldn't access it . it also supports competitve maket place provides chance for every firm from big company to some new start up companies . it provides good plateform for startups to rise up .if there is no net neutrality than there is monopoly market rather than competitive market . google and facebook get this position due to of net neutrality
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Ajay singh (08/15/15)
  • net neutrality is good as it encourages the startups as they need the booster at the start and what is the best boost better than the companys like google , youtube ,netflix etc which started as startup and succedded due to netneutality . for the startups if they have briliant idea than netneutrality give the fair chance to stand them in market.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Ajay Singla (08/14/15)
  • Net Neutrality should be implemented with some significant exceptions keeping into consideration the interest of the all the parties concerned to the issue.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -abhinav gautam (05/28/15)
  • it prevent us from unfair pricing,promote innovation,spread of knowledge,drives entrepreneurship and freedom of speech.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Abhishek H (05/06/15)
  • Advantage:
    Due to the prevalence of net neutrality equal attraction is enjoyed by all the websites whether it is of a well established organisation or that of a individual freelancer. Information available on the internet easily reaches to masses without any monetary restriction which is the main purpose of Internet communication. User doesn't have to chose a particular website on the basis of the usage charge.

    Disadvantage:
    If there is no neutrality i.e if the net usage charge varies from website to website, people might refrain from using a particular website just because it charges more. Thus the many websites which cater better information will not get acknowledgement due to monetary restrictions and the free flow of information will get disrupted.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Halake Sidramappa (04/24/15)
  • i think that net neutrality is necessary because it provides equal opportunity to each and every one. if net neutrality is not there ,google, facebook such sites never reached to their current position.It also give a benefits to start company to grow up their market in corporate field.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -rohit (04/18/15)
  • i think every one should have equal rights to rise up in the competitive market. if certain preference will be given by ISP;s then it will be injustice to the small business holders and new start ups as they wont get chance to rise up, without net neutrality it will be a monoply market rather than competittive market
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Deepa Kaushik (04/18/15)
  • Net neutrality definitely supports good marketplace. The data flow through the internet is one of the prime reasons for the easy communication between different countries miles apart. This sort of interaction and communications pave way to the under-developed and the developing countries to know and understand the latest advancements and fasten to match their foot along with the rest of the world. The net neutrality has played a wide role in the development of the world at a much faster rate.

    Internet is a big bank of knowledge. And knowledge should have free flow to have its full essence. Any obstruction in the data flow through the Internet could be an absolute disadvantage. When we talk of the illegal extraction of the data from the Internet, we should remember that the term illegal pops-in when we restrict the relevant flow of information. If we provide the relevant details legally to the masses, the illegal means would reduce on itself.

    Yes, there can be one advantage in blocking the specific sites, with respect to the children and youth. Despite a number of checks and confirmations for the age by the specific websites, children do get the access the irrelevant data through the internet which pollutes their mind and deviates them from their path. With the restriction on such data like the porn or the adult details, we can have an assurance to protect our young minds from getting polluted. And this type of restriction may also help in reducing the number of crimes against women which has increased multi-fold in the recently.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -VIJAYENDRA (04/15/15)
  • Net neutrality is in news as the airtel introduced the concept of airtel zero, wherein the companies will pay for internet charges on behalf of the customers. It is just like toll free number system, wherein the receiver of the call pay for the call charges. However, it is fair to follow the same in case of internet. My opinion is that Net neutrality to be maintained to protect the competition, new ideas to float and it will encourage the startups.

    The cash rich companies can afford payment of charges and in long run, even tough the product is not good, people may continue to use because of cost effective. effectively, it kills the innovation and become hurdle for the budding entrepreneurs.
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Saurav Srivastav (04/15/15)
  • Net neutrality is good because it creates equality.if it is not done it will lead to monopoly by few and out perform the small companies.The big firms may get the free access by paying much more which will create diffrences which is against the law
  • RE: Net Neutrality – Advantages and Disadvantages -Shakir Khan (04/15/15)
  • by my own account Net Neutrality should remain always. if Zero platform comes, what about those people who do the study online? they will be boxed in. there wouldn't any freedom so i support the Net Neutrality