R. I. P. Net Neutrality: Fostering Information Literacy and Equal Access Without an Open Internet
Abstract: If companies can pay to have their content delivered first and fastest, then nonprofits, new authors and the disadvantaged may lose their ability to reach classrooms nationwide and even worldwide. This session explores the educational ramifications of a U. S. federal decision to overturn net neutrality starting in August 2018, a policy that previously gave teachers and students access to all online information equally. Instead, well-funded groups will be able to pay for their products to stream faster and to show up first, or even exclusively, in searches. The session helps educators understand the impact of the new business model for internet content, then create strategies to teach information literacy and support social justice in a commercialized cyber environment.