Nothing But Net, Neutrality That Is!
Net Neutrality has been the phrase of the day. Right now, you can browse Facebook, binge on Netflix and play your favorite games, and your Internet service provider has no say about this. This is all thanks to 'net neutrality laws. But ISPs and other companies are currently fighting to put an end to those laws, which would allow your provider to charge more if you want access to certain websites or to throttle speeds of websites. In short, your Internet bill could jump sky high.
However, the end of net neutrality doesn't just affect consumers. Many companies with a Web presence find themselves concerned over how this could affect their business. Currently, these companies rely on a few methods to get traffic, including social media, paid advertising, and search engines. Website owners and builders rely on search engine optimization (SEO) to be visible on search engines such as Google. Good practices allow websites to show up closer to the top of the first page. Bad practices or non-existent SEO practices may mean obscurity for people who don't know how to use SEO.
If net neutrality ends, the world of SEO could be turned on its head. It may not longer be feasible that good practices are enough. Every company, no matter how small, may have to pay for advertising, whether that's through the search engine itself or with Internet service providers. ISPs could even demand fees for every visitor a website sees. It could not only mean higher operating costs for businesses but an increases cost for firms that provide SEO services and now much take into account the end of net neutrality.
Smaller sites and businesses may not see much of a difference because they don't require a lot of bandwidth. But larger sites, including streaming services, may have to pay ISPs to continue to operate effectively, and that may mean an increase in service prices to the consumer.
It's uncertainly how exactly an end to net neutrality will play out, but many people are worried about the future of the Internet.