Throughout America’s history, there have been battles about what should be allowed to be said and what should not. Today, these issues have manifested into the Internet.

For now, we get to use the Internet as an open tool. However, that may change. Internet service providers such as AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon have been fighting to gain control of a utility (the Internet) that should be treated like a phone or electric line. The movement against Internet control and censorship is known as Net Neutrality. This is defined as the principle that all Internet traffic should be protected and treated equally.

These acts of injustice have already begun to spring up. In 2007, AT&T blocked political statements from being heard during a concert, and Comcast has been caught slowing down connections to certain video sites. Internet service providers would like to be able to slow down Internet connections and have users pay to get full access and censor websites they disagree with. For example, your Internet provider could view that you were attempting to order pizza from Pizza Hut and slow down your connection because Domino’s paid them. Plans like this have repeatedly attempted to get passed, and in February 2015 the Federal Communications Commission adopted rules to protect Open Internet.

On February 26 2015, the FCC outlawed ISP’s from blocking websites, slowing down connections, or allowing paid prioritization. Millions of people spoke out, large companies gave a taste of what Internet without neutrality would be like, and the laws passed were a large step forward for Net Neutrality.

Inevitably there will be more attempts to control the Internet. We should not allow that to happen. Open Internet is necessary to protect free speech and would benefit research, small businesses, and minority movements that have no other way of banding together. We are fortunate enough to have a massive library of knowledge at our hands allowing us to view immense information and connect instantly across the globe. Allowing a company to take control of it for profit goes against the foundation of our nation. The Internet is a utility like something as simple as water and should be treated as such.