The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will decide on Dec. 14 whether to dismantle regulations that provide internet equality, individuality and free applications. The decision is predicted to have a large effect on web users and college students’ future careers.
“With net neutrality on the line once again, I am beginning to worry about how this will affect my future career in advertising,” junior Nicholas Hiles said. “This proposal would bring great changes to the industry of marketing and communication, and is a big issue for those working to build a career that works with the internet.”
Net neutrality policies adopted in 2015 during the Obama administration ensure that all servers provide equal access of sites to users. Internet service providers charge monthly fees for access to the web, but can’t control individual site speed, what users have access to or the quality of their searches.
The Washington Post reported that the rule change will allow internet service providers to treat websites differently based on types of content offered, and major networks will have publicly addressed the matter with posts emphasizing their loyalty to net neutrality.
Comcast CEO Dave Watson said in a blog post that they “will not block, throttle, or discriminate against lawful content.” However, if these repeals pass, there will be no laws in place to ensure they stay true to their word.
The repeals are expected to pass with new laws put in their place since three out of the five board members on the FCC are Republican voters.
“Students graduating from our computer science department who want to create their own websites will have more difficulties getting through to the public along with any other startup business,” Dr. Frank McCown, associate professor of computer science said.
Verizon has stated that they will be “experimenting with new business models while being as transparent as possible to offer customers the best package for them.”
“I predict that Harding would do their best to give students the best access to the internet,” McCown said. “It could cause tuition to slightly increase, but it would probably be more difficult for students living off campus to get the same high-speed internet.”
