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Does the fifth amendment really give ISPs the right to throttle your bandwidth?
If the idea of an internet service provider selectively restricting your data speeds doesn't sit well, this probably won't either: Verizon feels that it should be allowed to tweak your bandwidth whenever it wants, and not only that, the company claims the U.S. Constitution gives it the right to do so.
"Net neutrality" means that an internet service provider must allow its users to access all parts of the internet at the same data speed, which is something most of us take for granted. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been fighting for net neutrality for years now, but many companies — like Verizon — stand firmly in opposition of it. Verizon feels that it should be able to prioritize data speeds for its own interests, meaning that unless a site has a deal in place with the company, it may not be as easy for web users to actually load the site using Verizon's data service.
The latest and perhaps most ridiculous argument that the communications company has leveled against the net neutrality movement comes in a legal brief Verizon filed on Monday. The company claims that enforcing such a standard violates the free speech rights of its owners. What's more, Verizon likens its role in throttling certain web content to that of a newspaper editor picking what stories to run. Of course, the company makes no mention of the large chunk of pure profit it stands to gain through deals with various internet hotspots to provide adequate bandwidth.
[via Ars Technica]
This article was written by Mike Wehner and originally appeared on Tecca
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