Network neutrality
Alternatively referred to as Internet neutrality, network neutrality is one of the Internets founding principles that forces Internet service providers and other telecommunications companies to not tamper with the data that is traveling over their network backbones and pipes. This makes sure all websites and content get the same service, speed, and quality.
Many companies and people believe that removing network neutrality would be the end of the Internet, as it would allow big companies and media sites to pay major Internet Service Providers (AT&T, Bell South, Comcast, Time Warner, Verizon, etc.) to give them priority bandwidth causing all other pages, sites, and content to load slower. In a sense making Internet Service Providers the gatekeepers of the Internet allowing them to choose how web pages load.
However, major Internet Service Providers and other individuals argue that this action is needed as the the stress on major Internet backbones increase with the popularity of Internet videos and file sharing.
- Save the Internet is a great website that contains extensive information about Network neutrality as well as methods you can petition congress to help protect it.
Also see: QoS, Internet, Internet definitions, Network definitions