Being the highest trending topic in the past few days, #savetheinternet has created quite the buzz along with fear. So what exactly is new net neutrality? Net neutrality means to use the content on internet at the same speed and rate. For instance, a video on youtube and an audio file on sound cloud will buffer on the same speed and rate theoratically. The data rate to access such content does not vary.
This is an important issue touching the entertainment industry as well. This is due to the fact that industry has grown and most of the artists and producers has their own content hosting source like youtube, soundcloud or their own websites. Hence it becomes vital that net neutrality remains intact.
As an artist having your own website and hosting content on that website, if there is a limitation on at what speed the content/data will load, it will put a roadblock on one’s reach. The situation would be, if you pay for the ‘add-on’ package only then you would be able to access the respective artist’s content from his/her own website. This in return will put a stop on the artist’s website traffic resulting in missed oppotunities and business.
YouTube, Sound Cloud, Google were created on a net neutral platform. Their beginning was humble with basic website being hosted on low cost but they are now the giants of internet. If net neutrality is removed, such companies will be able to pay to the service providers but start-ups will be in quite a pickle. This will stop the visionaries and innovative thinkers of the business world to take the next step.
Match[my]talent is trying to build a space for arstists and producers who can directly upload their content on their portal. But if there is no net neutrality, both the key components of the industry will suffer as none of them will be able to access the content without paying extra.
Picture this; you are an artist. A fresher, still trying to bag that first paying gig. You shoot your show reel which showcases your chops as an artist and why you’re going to be the next big thing. Now you want to upload it to show it to the world. You try and open Youtube but alas! It’s slow and you can’t get the job done at all. So then, your service provider tells you to pay Rs. 500 for the “add-on Package” and it will be done. As a struggling artist that’s quite an amount to spend to access just one platform. So your’re demoralized, lost and frustrated while the next guy gets your gig as he/she could afford that “add-on package”. Sounds unfair? Your’re damn right.
Artists have enough troubles in getting noticed and getting opportunities. It does not help that norms such as banishment of net neutrality limiting the access and creating a roadblock for them. This will eventually take the art out of such artists and that’s the last thing we need in such an ugly world where we are looking for beauty in tinniest of things.
