Why Net Neutrality Matters and What Research Libraries Can Do about It

A portion of the US Federal Communications Commission’s reversal of its 2015 Open Internet Order—also known as net neutrality rules—is set to go into effect on Apr 23, 2018, with the remainder of the repeal to go into effect later this year after final approval by the Office of Management and Budget. The fundamental intent of the open Internet is to encourage the free and open exchange of ideas—the very basis of a democratic society. Although the reversal appears imminent, there are efforts to stay or blunt it at the federal and state levels. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is part of these efforts, actively advocating for and acting in the interest of an open Internet. Although the exact nature of the impact is not known, there is little doubt that the reversal of the net neutrality rules could reduce access to information used in research and education.