Why Is Net Neutrality Morally Impermissible?

The question of rolling back net neutrality is morally problematic. In this paper, I will demonstrate that utilitarianism can be used to show that repealing net neutrality is morally impermissible. In section one of this paper, I will provide an overview of net neutrality and show both sides of the argument. In section two, I will provide a brief and concise overview of Utilitarianism. In section three, I will demonstrate that utilitarianism can defend net neutrality. Net Neutrality is the ability for all information transferred over the internet to be treated equally (Abbruzzese). Net neutrality protects consumers from there Internet service providers to abolish and limit basic rights of the internet. Net neutrality protects these companies
This theory is a consequentialist based ethical theory which states you must choose the action that increases the total utility. John Stuart Mill was a key proponent of Utilitarianism. Utility is defined as the total happiness or pleasure, minus the total unhappiness or pain involved in the action. Another name for utility is the Greatest Happiness principle. From the definition of utility, pleasure and the absence of pain are the only things desirable as ends in themselves and are the only things that are good. So, under any circumstance, actions are good when they maximize the total utility and bad when they lower the total
If net neutrality were to be maintained, the internet users would ultimately achieve their goal, because the internet will remain open and free. This means the utility of the internet users would increase because the regulations for the Internet service providers to take control of the internet would be safeguarded. Currently, the FCC under the leadership of Ajit Pai are siding with the internet service providers. They believe that net neutrality slows down investments by internet service providers. If it is abolished, the utility of the internet service providers will go up, because they believe they can expand and reach more people, while people living in rural areas utility will also go up because they will have access to the internet. But, what the FCC isn’t taking into account is the millions of internet users that want to keep internet neutrality. With net neutrality maintained, users of the internet will have equal access to the internet, which will increase their total