Sunday, September 7, 2014

Netflix and the Push for Stronger Net Neutrality

I sit here pulling my hair out after a movie I wanted to watch on Netflix refuses to buffer in high definition. I have a nice LED television to enjoy my media on, and I have a fast internet connection with Verizon FiOS. Why should I have so much trouble trying to enjoy a movie? In the past year, Netflix has been ensnared in situations caused by internet service providers (ISPs) who are congesting their network interconnections between content providers, like Netflix, and consumers like you and me. As Netflix grew as a content provider, it used third party content delivery networks (CDNs) and third party transit providers in order to distribute traffic into ISPs’ networks. However, certain ISPs such as Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, have purposefully congested those interconnections in order to receive, maybe even extort, payments from Netflix in exchange for access to so-called “fast-lanes.” In order to provide a better experience for their customers, Netflix is forced to pay these tolls to ISPs.
However, Netflix believes this issue of net neutrality is bigger than just providing a high definition video into the living rooms of their customers. The company fears the influence that ISPs can have over future content services if stronger neutrality laws are enacted. If ISPs can basically control the success of a service or content provider by creating an unsatisfactory experience with its consumers, then the internet is at a “crossroads” as described by Netflix. One road is described as an internet filled with legalized discrimination, content blackouts, and content disputes whereas the other is built on a strong foundation of neutrality rules allowing it to be open, scalable, and affordable.
            The internet itself has become one of the biggest platforms for advancement for people around the world. It allows access to the largest collection of information, services, and goods, and, without net neutrality, numerous ISPs could essentially control what their customers could access. The idea of net neutrality is that an internet packet, regardless of its source, gets to its destination without being discriminated against. This means that information sent from Netflix, YouTube, Google, or whatever-site-you-visit to a consumer is treated exactly the same. Without strong neutrality, ISPs can continually demand escalating payments from content providers in order to ensure that we, the consumers, are satisfied. If this current situation remains this irrational into the future, it could change the whole landscape of new companies developing; not paying these fines to ISPs could prevent one’s startup from taking off five or ten years from now.
            With this developing situation, we, the consumers, should be the most wary regarding the outcome. Currently, Netflix is the big player that is pushing stronger neutrality. What if over the coming months and years that services such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube all have their data throttled on their way to your favorite devices? What if your favorite game now lags as you play online because the developers have not paid your ISP for a “fast-lane?” If this is how the current situation of neutrality develops into, consumers would be up in arms in record time. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the underlying regulatory body that oversees situations like this, and consumers must pressure them into introducing stronger neutrality rulings. Anything short of that could lead us down a path where the internet turns into an ISP money pit where your favorite content providers could ultimately charge you more money in turn for delivering your requested content.

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