Net Neutrality, Digital Divide, and Internet Censorship
Net neutrality is the principle or ideal that the internet should be equal for everyone
regardless of device, application, or platform.
This includes service providers treating all data equally, not restricting access or
slowing down speeds in their own interest. This also includes internet providers not
making deals with companies to improve their network speed.
While service providers have
the right to manage their own network for maximum efficiency, they are prevented from
managing service to gain profits. If they were to maximize efficiency and profits, it
could potentially be detrimental to public interest and company participation.
The debate of whether or not net neutrality should be determined by internet
service providers or evenly regulated still continues, including the aspects
of potential government control. Supporters of net neutrality argue for nondiscriminatory
and equal internet, while the opposers believe that government involvement prevents economic
growth.
Net neutrality is often managed on a national or regional basis. This causes
disagreements or contradictions on what should be allowed in certain areas. If the national
or regional guidelines differ, than there is debate over what should and shouldn't be equal.
For more on this topic, click the link below to learn the effects of net neutrality on
society.
Internet Censorship deals with the regulation of online content. The main conflict
regarding internet censorship is what certain global regions or even internet providers
are allowed to restrict under their own legal systems. There are often times fears of
what citizens will access on the internet due to legal reasons and restrictions.
In the United States, despite most things being protected by the First Amendment
there are exceptions to what needs to be prevented on the internet.
Schools and companies also have control over what their employees or students can access
based on their general workplace restrictions. This is something that the general
principle of internet censorship, that anything can be accessed on the internet,
contradicts. Social media also brings up complications regarding this topic.
It is harder to restrict the content accessed through social media making
internet censorship more difficult. Overall while generally you are able to
access anything, there are certain exceptions to this.
Only 1/4 of the world population has access to internet, however this access is
not spread evenly across everyone. Many countries or regions treat the internet with caution and
want to protect it's citizens from the dangerous of the internet. For example, in the United
States almost 85% of the population has some type of internet access, while in Mexico it is 70%,
and in Pakistan 54% has internet access. The range of this access varies from every country
preventing certain areas from using services that people often take for granted.
To learn more about this topic, click the link below for an in-depth description of internet censorship.
Those who benefit from the Digital Age are often people with access to more
technology in wealthier neighborhoods or wealthier countries. Not having this
access prevents certain key services from being used. Often if you cannot afford
this or live in a community that is too far away from internet access you aren’t
able to benefit from it.
Approximately 5 million rural households and 15 million
urban households still do not have access to the internet. For certain educational
purposes, students are required to use the internet for research and other assignments.
Children who do not have internet access are stunted in their growth when it is
out of their control that they can’t achieve the same levels of education.
Awareness for the Digital Divide is being raised and slowly we are doing more to
solve it. Education of Digital Divide is crucial to continue repairing the problem
and slowly we are achieving this.
Lastly, digital divide not only affects areas, but affects different age demographics. At
a certain point, children will have been introduced to technology from a very young age. For others,
the internet did not become an important tool in life until their adult years. This prevents the
older generations from having as much knowledge about technology, restricting the full potential
of internet usage.
The impacts of Digital Divide have been a problem since the start of the internet.
However this has been amplified due to the recent gloabal pandemic of Covid-19.
Internet is often required for school and work due to the recent quarantines,
making it extra deifficult for certain people to access.
To learn more watch the video linked below.