Why You Could Be Penalized For Using Google!

This past weekend, Last Week Tonight returned to its regularly scheduled time on HBO. The faux news series has been on a small break for the past two weeks, but came back with a major call for action in its latest episode.

During the most recent episode of #LastWeekTonight, one of the topics John Oliver discussed was Net Neutrality. If you’re not familiar with the concept, Net Neutrality can be summed up to being the principle of internet service providers (ISP’s) providing equal access to all content regardless of its originating source; without favoring or blocking particular websites.

Why Net Neutrality Is Valuable And Affects Us All

In lament terms, Net Neutrality doesn’t allow ISP’s like Verizon to limit connectivity speed to consumers who prefer to use Google over a carrier like Verizon’s preferred search engine. An example of Net Neutrality becoming endangered came when T-Mobile and ISP’s alike wouldn’t allow for GoogleWallet to be used on their phones, only because T-Mobile had its own instant pay service: ISIS. Yes, that’s correct. T-Mobile had an instant payment service like GoogleWallet called ISIS, and it was promoted heavily using that acronym despite the connotation of ISIS known around the world.

Apart from my description of Net Neutrality, John Oliver explains the concept much better than I.

John Oliver: “Net Neutrality is more than just speed. At its heart, it (Net Neutrality) is the principle that ISP’s like Verizon and Comcast should not be able to engage in any sort of fuckery that limits or eliminates the choices you make online.”

What John Oliver is trying to say about Net Neutrality, is that it needs to stay intact. But, it appears as if the Trump administration intends to do away with the Title 1 and Title 2 of the in the Communications Act of 1934 by having the newly appointed FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai dismiss them as irrelevant to the protection of Net Neutrality. When in fact, Title 1 and Title 2 of the Communications Act are the only things keeping Net Neutrality in place. Title 1 and Title 2 do so by prohibiting net neutrality rules from being tampered with, including equal access to the internet. Yet, the Trump Administration intends to rollback those protective articles, for whatever reason.

What Can We Do To Prevent “Net Neutrality” From Being Eliminated?

More importantly, John Oliver does an excellent job of laying out this dilemma to the public. He explains what the problems are now that Net Neutrality is in danger, as well as how it’s downfall would affect us all. And in an age where almost everything is done over the internet, we’d all be smart to take heed of Oliver’s warning. That said, John Oliver, presumably with the help of Last Week Tonight’s production staff have made the first step in keeping Net Neutrality safe by purchasing a domain directly linking to the FCC’s comments and response page, in hopes that anyone who wants to speak out on the matter can voice their opinions. If you’d like to voice your opinions on Net Neutrality, you can do so by visiting the following link: http://gofccyourself.com

Opinions aren’t the only reason Oliver is directing people to this site. If enough concerned citizens speak out on the matter, to where congress is forced to address the matter, an actual drive to protect the sanctity of Net Neutrality will be a reality. We won’t be faced with someone like A jit Pai jeopardizing the freedom Net Neutrality gives all of us. I know I wouldn’t want to have my internet service speed compromised by my ISP because I decided to use a different search engine than the one they recommended, would you? If you feel the same way, then speak out on Net Neutrality by visiting the link previously provided. It’s gofccyourself.com

Are you going to make a comment to the FCC to prevent Title 1 and Title 2 from being removed from the Communications Act? And do you think Net Neutrality is worth saving, or is its extinction inevitable? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Last Week Tonight airs on HBO Sunday nights.