Greg Jayne advised in his Sunday column to choose battles carefully, and net neutrality is not one worth fighting for (“When it comes to net neutrality, pick battles carefully,” Dec. 17, The Columbian). Generally, this may be good advice, but in this case his premise is faulty.
Jayne argued that the internet was fine before 2015, when the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules protecting net neutrality, and should be fine without them. He overlooked that, with the ever-quickening pace of improvements in technology, internet providers’ capability to manipulate content and speed is a threat to consumers that did not exist, say, even five years ago.
Like the robber barons in the early 20th century whose burgeoning railroad empires threatened to throttle competition, internet providers are on the verge of unfair advantages over tech startups and online entrepreneurs with repeal of net neutrality rules. Consumers will pay the price and, if they don’t like the service they receive, they will have fewer choices for an alternative in the marketplace.
As the internet evolves, it is even more vital for government to work to ensure a level playing field where opportunity exists for free enterprise to succeed. Net neutrality is most definitely a battle worth fighting for.
