Why removing Net Neutrality is a bad idea

The headline pretty much gives away where I stand on this issue.

However, please keep an open mind as you read this. Internet access SHOULD be treated like a utility. A lot depends on it. Much like roads, electricity, water, police, and sob healthcare — certain things should be considered as basic requirements for a society to function.

I am a capitalistic pig, but I also realize that unfettered capitalism leads to Lehman brothers. I also realize that true capitalism’s foundation is equal opportunity. Removing net neutrality is the exact opposite of equal opportunity.

The removal of net neutrality is being palmed off as “restoring internet freedom” — it is anything but that. It is the freedom that will allow ISPs to screw you.

The argument you hear, why should I pay for my neighbor’s Netflix and chill? That argument is a straw man, it is a flawed argument. ISPs can already charge you for bandwidth.

Imagine if we removed electricity neutrality ..

1. Hey you want to charge your phone? Yeah that’ll be $8.99 extra a month. But with that comes bundled the ability to power an electric crane.
2. You want to run your washer and dryer? Ahh .. that is only $1.99, except you can only buy washer and dryer from acme corp .. which costs $9000. Sorry we don’t allow you to run any washer and dryer.

.. why wont’ the electricity company just charge me for usage?

Imagine if we removed water neutrality ..

1. You want to take a shower? Yeah our water is only compatible with this certain kind of shower head, and that shower head manufacturer has paid us gobs of money to ensure no better shower heads are ever produced.
2. Our basic water plan does not have enough pressure to run a shower. But hey if you buy a better plan for $999/month, we will send you a free bucket with a hole in the bottom. The bucket is of course made by some company that paid us to do this, but you don’t have to know that!

Imagine if we had preferential access to roads ..

1. My farm produces the most delicious apples, and I can produce them for cheap. But in order to sell my apples to consumers, I have to pay the road company to allow consumers to get to my store. But that huge company selling awful apples pays the road company far more.
2. .. you get the idea.

All “traffic” should be treated equal. And if you want to drive a truck on the road, take longer showers, charge your car, you should be allowed to pay more to get more.

Removing net neutrality is not that. Removing net neutrality allows the utility companies (well internet service providers), to preferentially treat one service over another. This is bad, this will kill innovation, lead to poorer user experience, and yes .. at the end of the day .. drive your prices higher.

When a pear company who makes phones pays AT&T to push headtime in your face, who do you think eventually pays for that AT&T fast lane? YOU!

This is wrong! And really bad.