Why Net Neutrality Matters

Guest: Phil Windley, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Computer Science, and Enterprise Architect for the Office of the CIO, BYU “The federal government will stop micromanaging the Internet.” That’s the promise made late last week by Ajit Pai, whom President Trump appointed to lead the Federal Communications Commission. Pai has proposed eliminating regulations passed by the Obama Administration in 2015 that prohibit internet service providers like Comcast and Verizon from picking and choosing who gets fast speeds online and who doesn’t. The FCC is expected approve Pai’s proposal in two and a half weeks.  If you’ve seen the words “net neutrality” pop up anywhere in your social media feeds over the last week, you know how heated this debate is. So let’s get some explanation on what it is and why it matters.