What the end of net neutrality could mean to nonprofits (and everyone else)

Chances are you’ve seen or heard a few headlines concerning the potential reversal of ‘net neutrality’ and while the topic seems to border on the tech-heavy side it could in fact entirely change the internet as we know it and not for the better, especially for nonprofits. We’re all used to the internet allowing us to get search results for exactly what we need and easily access all types of websites – equal opportunity for all users of the web. This could all be changing soon.

In the US new rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission may result in an online world where the largest/wealthiest private companies can pay access fees to reach online customers more rapidly which would generate the equivalent of an express lane on the Internet for those who can pay for it and of much greater concern the exact opposite for those who cannot.

If the FCC adopts these rules the impact would be the reversal of “net neutrality,” the current and traditional standard for Internet access, sadly the U.S. appeals court ruling says the FCC can not impose such regulation on broadband Internet providers. Observers are skeptical as to whether these changes will get pushed through but the battle will rage on as broadband providers continue to push for tiered pricing to create a ‘more competitive internet’ – as if that was something anyone who searches the web actually wanted.

If this is new to you a brief explanation is that net neutrality is what we all experience today, if you and I both decide to view a documentary on Netflix or watch a live Google hangout on a nonprofit website; if our internet connections are similar we’ll both have approximately the same experience in terms of stream speed and effectiveness. If these laws were to be enacted the streaming would be impacted entirely by if the site provider was willing to pay a premium to have their content transmitted at the top available speed (whether via a stream or just regular content/page loading). These higher costs will of course in time be passed on to the internet user, as broadband providers would roll out tiered premium/standard pricing to bring you an ‘improved internet service’ (what we all have equally at this time) or standard service which could lead to slower load times or streams. It’s not entirely clear if that detriments will be mostly to the hosted website or the visitor, or more likely both.

Naturally the FCC say that the above will not happen and that “Internet providers would not be allowed to degrade the speed or quality of sites that don’t pay a premium” but the ruling, if approved, is aimed at achieving exactly that when you read between the lines.

Tom Wheeler FCC Chairman (above, far left) maintains that he is committed to an ‘open internet’ despite growing pressure to remove net neutrality | AP Photo

Such impact is mostly theoretical at this stage of course, what is safe to say is that an internet user won’t lose all access to a website but it could be significantly slower and we all know how much that can change the way a person uses the web. Modifying the ease of accessing information has the natural by-product of changing what information is received. Why should a new, small business or a smaller nonprofit have the access to their website curtailed because they don’t have the budget to compete with larger and more established companies or organizations? In the nonprofit sector I’m already seeing numerous advantages being held by medium and large charities over their smaller brethren and this change could potentially be the most dramatic of all.

Keeping the internet as it is today should be a priority as the lack of broadband cost regulation/tiered service has done much to nurture the global success of the web. Adding tiered pricing for website access fees will create an uneven playing field that could change everything about that environment in a short space of time. Whether it actually happens or not is still just speculation but the signs are quite grave, however more will be learned later this month. Also up in the air is whether any considerations will be made for nonprofit websites in this new internet world.

For further reading about net neutrality I recommend this article in PC World  and you’ll also find a number of informative articles and petitions online about net neutrality if you conduct a search. I’d be curious to know your feelings about these proposed changes too.

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