The debate for net neutrality has been in heated discussion since Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler made a proposal for new rules about the laws of net neutrality back in April. What emerged was a debate of people on two sides of a fence, for net neutrality and against net neutrality. 

In 2010, the FCC set laws to stop speed-traps on the internet or in other words, the speeding up of some websites, slowing down of others or blocking a website all together. 

Since then, companies such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon have been trying to get rid of net neutrality. To not have net neutrality would allow these corporations to have full legal right of deciding the speed of web content based on the original source, ownership or destination.

Other companies such as Facebook, Google or streaming agencies like Netflix believe the Internet is a public good and should be regulated as one. 

At this time, Internet providers are allowed to charge content companies to provide direct access to their networks which speeds up streaming and download speeds for broadband customers. 

According to the savetheinternet.com website, “net neutrality lowers the barriers of entry for entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses by ensuring the Web is a fair and level playing field.”

Ultimately the FCC has control of what happens with net neutrality due to how the FCC is set up to be an independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress. 

According to the fcc.gov page, the FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. The commission is the United States’ primary authority for communications law, regulation and technological innovation.  

In April, Wheeler had proposed a plan that would allow large corporations such as Comcast, AT&T and Verizon to create pay-to-play fast lanes. 

Due to a public outcry from political figures and the public, Wheeler shelved his original proposal.

Currently, organizations such as the Save the Internet Campaign, the Free Press, the Free Press Action Fund and people banning together online are making their voices heard on how they want net neutrality to be ensured for the future.  

In an address by Barack Obama, he stated that, “an open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life.”

Furthermore in the address, Obama stated that, “The FCC is an independent agency, and ultimately this decision is theirs alone. I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online.”

As of now, Wheeler has adapted a proposal for net neutrality that falls under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, originally suggested by Obama in an address to the people Nov. 10, 2014.

However, some people believe that Wheeler’s proposal is not all it is hatched out to be and specific details of how this bill could still hurt the consumer are being left out. 

“Net neutrality is a bill being pioneered by the FCC, and it is not exactly what they tell us it is,” said junior engineering technology major John “Forrest” Duplantier. “It’s essentially this idea of policing content so that all of it is ‘lawful’ and ‘equally treated,’ which truthfully means that the people who are creating the bill and paying for it are going to be getting more attention. This is a terrible thing for the average Internet user because it is going to make the Internet more expensive than it already is.”

Wheeler’s full intentions for net neutrality and how they will fall under the Title II of the Telecommunications Act has not officially been released as of publication date. 

Voting for Wheeler’s proposal is set to take place on Feb. 26 and Wheeler describes the rules as, “the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.”