Since late 1990, the world has literally become our oyster with the amazing capabilities we have with the web and internet. We live in a time that allows us to hit a few keys into a search engine and are given pages amongst pages of information. Though the ability to find the answer to just about anything has become second natural to the current generation the web is continuously evolving and it must.
Right now, we run into a few issues, I cannot open a particular file type, if I have a disability I may not be able to use the internet as easily as others and we have big business wanting to define what they can and cannot allow us to do. Currently, we face multiple threats to the idea of the web’s innovation or “universality” as Tim Berners-Lee called it in his article ‘Long Live the Web: A Call for Continued Open Standards and Neutrality”. Cable television companies that charge us for our monthly subscription for our Internet connectivity have considered limiting what we can download to only their company’s mix of entertainment, no thank you. Imagine only being able to subscribe and pay for a feature like Netflix or a free application like Pandora, only if your internet provided allowed you too due to their affiliation with the company. The idea that my internet provided would only allow me to download what they said is ok, naturally causes me to get a little defensive, what if they do not service my area? Am I then forced to go with the cable provide in my neighborhood, if they are limiting what I can download will they push their company’s views and ideologies on me according to whom they are partnered with? I do not want my cable and internet provider telling me what I can and cannot download but wait there’s more. Google (and I love Google) and Verizon suggested that “net neutrality should not apply to mobile phone-based connections”, what does that mean, users who rely on their mobile devices for internet access would be subjected to a discrimination of service. If I did not want my internet provider for my home to tell me what I can and cannot browse on the internet, than why would I want my cell phone service provider and/or specific smart phone to restrict what I can do on the internet either. Who knew net neutrality would be an issue we may have to stand up and fight for one day, it is and get ready.