As consumers, we rely on powerful Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to deliver the web to us via an open highway. Currently, these ISPs have the ability to provide faster services to content they prefer or to companies that pay them more money. The ISPs argue they are able to do this through the concept that it is a free market and they can give faster speed to those they choose to; however, this creates problems for consumers’ right to access information.
People spend a lot of time on the web, with the average being a whopping 7 hours a day. The access we have to the web is wonderful for many reasons, but most people are not aware of how to filter the information they receive or how to research it. Education surrounding media literacy for American youth is almost non-existent, yet the web is the primary source of information for many.
This creates a situation with the ability for misinformation to spread like wildfire – and for people to believe the information appearing at the top of a Google search without looking further into it. In the example of youth, this risk for misinformation is much greater than rumors being spread about who kissed who – the topics on the Internet surround important information surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic amongst others.
According to the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), media literacy requires “access to all information and ideas without censorship.” When ISPs dominate the Internet’s open highway and decide what content we see, this prohibits us from accessing information from an equal and neutral perspective. This is where Net Neutrality comes into the picture to help prevent censorship. “Access” is the first step in navigating the media literacy process to understanding and processing information on the Internet. Without uncensored access to information, it skews the rest of the process for proper media literacy.
According to Wikipedia, Net Neutrality is the principle that ISPs must treat all Internet communications equally. Many Americans agree with this concept and according to a poll by Comparitech, 4 out of 5 Americans agree that they should be able to access information on the internet without censorship and without outside influence.
Net Neutrality regulation would ensure that consumers can have equal access to information across the board. It evens the playing field and would allow individuals to access the information they need without favoritism or censorship from the ISPs. Additionally, it will allow opinions and information to come forward that may not be established in the marketplace. Giving people access to information without censorship is only the first step in the media literacy process; however, it is a vital one for individuals to make informed decisions and wade through the information available.