Throughout history, each generation has faced a unique problem regarding its technology and its constant struggle with man. In the 21st century the prevalence and availability of technology is on a much greater scale, yet we are still faced with the same types of problems that plagued past generations. Even though these problems have become more and more complex as technology advances the same issues of how technology should be regulated, how technology should be implemented and who has access to this technology have remained constant issues. The issue of network neutrality or more commonly called net neutrality is often regarded as the primer issue in today's telecom and communications world yet it is ignored, underestimated and pushed to the backburner of many mainstream media outlets. Net neutrality is very critical to the future of the internet, the media and by society as a whole.
Your probably thinking this can't be an important topic if I've never heard of it before? I will first attempt to explain what net neutrality is. Net neutrality is defined by Michael Baumann in his article entitled Net Neutrality: The Internet's world war as "a principle that says those who operate networks which provide an overall benefit to the public good and rely on public property should not use their ownership to confer discriminatory treatment"(1). What this means is that the telecoms, cable companies and broadband providers provide a service that serves the public good (internet) and the service that they provide relies on public property thus it is necessary that the internet be kept a neutral with every site, application, program etc receiving equal access in regards to speed, reliability and overall quality of service (Qos). Aaron Weiss the author of the article Net Neutrality? There's nothing neutral about it gives a good example of how the internet is currently structured using the analogy of a highway "Suppose you built