Net Neutrality

Will the FCC’s push to get rid of doctrine be a blessing or a curse?

The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to do away with a doctrine that has come to be known as “net neutrality.”

At the core, net neutrality’s purpose is to ensure that internet service providers treat all data and users equally and do not charge more or less or provide better or lesser service to all their various customers. It’s designed to keep the playing field level for all users.

But opponents say it’s unwarranted government interference in the commercial space that stifles competition between providers and keeps prices artificially high for consumers. They say increased competition would mean better service at a lower cost for all. They also argue that internet service technology would move faster if ISPs were able to recoup their investment more quickly by offering tiered levels of service based on customer needs.

Proponents of net neutrality say the policy is vital to ensure that residential and small business users don’t end up with lesser service and higher prices to subsidize better deals for big businesses who are more profitable overall. They also argue that providers could slow down the transfer of information from certain websites to consumers based any number of reasons, citing cases where providers have been caught “throttling” or slowing of data flow such as high-bandwidth videos. They say without net neutrality content the ISP dislikes or disapproves of could also be subject to throttling, creating a free speech issue.

We want to know what you think. Do you believe net neutrality should remain in place? Or do you support the FCC’s move to repeal the doctrine?

Send your response (50 words maximum) to opinion@texarkanagazette.com by Wednesday, Dec. 13. You can also mail your response to the Texarkana Gazette Friday Poll, at P.O. Box 621, Texarkana, TX 75504 or drop it off at our office, 101 E. Broad St., Texarkana, Ark. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. We will print as many responses as we can in next Friday’s paper.

Last Week: Beast or Bear?

Last week’s question was about the use of DNA to “solve” the mystery of the Abominable Snowman, or Yeti. Do you believe in the Fouke Monster, Bigfoot, Yeti or other such creatures? Or do you believe there is a logical explanation and the stories are just myth?

I believe the “story” ‘bout the famous Fouke Monster, however I’ve never believed there is actually a loose monster, Big Foot, or whatever, in the woods around Fouke, Ark. The story is probably over 75 years old. It’s a great story, and it has attracted people, and a couple movies. —B.J., Texarkana, Texas

From www.facebook.com/texarkanagazette

Never say never. It’s the bears. Get over it. Belief without evidence is irrational.