In 2015, under the Obama administration, new net neutrality regulations were implemented.  On December 14, 2017, the FCC repealed net neutrality altogether and the public reacted with disgust. 

The common reaction to net neutrality being repealed was people claiming that we would have to automatically pay for everything on the internet.  

Let’s be real -net neutrality was repealed by the FCC and it isn’t a big deal. 

The FCC’s repeal still has yet to reach congress, where it will or won’t be confirmed. Many states’ attorneys have filed lawsuits against the FCC, which slows the progress of ratification.  Taking all of this into account, this process will take a long time and the public won’t be affected for over a year. 

Another myth or rumor that the repeal has spurred is that it violates our rights and gives us less freedom.  In fact, it does the opposite.  Before Obama’s net neutrality regulations in 2015, consumers were already protected as no internet provider has the intention to slow down your network.   

For years, the internet functioned perfectly without government interference or a demand to save the internet.  In 2015, when the Obama administration decided to “free the internet” and “ensure fairness” for everyone, net neutrality was employed and slyly took control of the internet and began to oversee. 

Before 2015, the internet simply functioned and prospered without government interference as the consumers and market ruled the internet.  With the repeal, we bring back the internet before 2015 when it was government-free. 

To put it simply, this repeal won’t be put into effect for a long time, and even if/when it is, it’s not nearly as awful as it is portrayed.