We all laughed, but turns out, the internet is actually one of the most controversial issues of the past few years. It's no secret that the internet is something that is used by all advanced societies. The US is one of those, but our internet speed is not even in the top 30 in the world, and we are a nation where internet giants like Google, YouTube, Microsoft and Facebook were founded, so how can it be that our internet is so slow?
A The Week article explains the way in which the internet providers have monopolized the industry. Basically, there is no competition among providers like Time Warner Cable and Comcast, so what's happening is that these companies feel very little pressure to make improvements to their services.
When I was reading this, I found myself thinking about an article on the potential of Apple to move forward with their technology. Though I can't find the article as I read it a few years ago, it's analysis of Apple as a company capable of producing much more advanced products, seems like what's happening with the internet providers.
Right now, there is little motivation for internet providers to invest in the expensive improvements necessary to speed up internet and download speed. The providers can keep increasing their prices without improving their technology because there is no one else.
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http://other98.com/internet-memes-vs-the-fccs-plan-for-net-neutrality/ |
This calls to mind the question of whether or not internet should be considered a public utility, as Obama pledged to make it, according to a New York Daily News article criticizing chairman of the FCC, Tom Wheeler's, efforts to limit net neutrality. On Feb. 26, 2015, the FCC approved net neutrality rules with much support from Wheeler.
While I was impressed with the decision made by the FCC, I was more impressed by the public's strong reaction to Wheeler's initial proposal, which called for a more expensive, fast lane of broadband internet which could only be used by 1% of the population.
A Common Dreams article discusses what happened when the public learned about the FCC's goals to limit net neutrality. The article describes public outrage, causing hundreds of thousands of comments to the FCC's website, causing the website to crash.
In my opinion, this is a spectacular example of the media to public relations. In great times of need, like when such a controversial proposal starts to come to fruition, the people will take action. This is why the media is important. The media is there not to carry out an action, but to cause a reaction. In this case, the media got the message to the people about what the FCC was trying to do, and it caused a complete policy change.
No one knows the extent of the impact this change in policy has.
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