Summarize. No copy-and-paste
Read a reviewed four articles regarding net-neutrality. The articles included interesting topics such as blockchain and how it is impacted, the integration of broadband services, trade-offs involved and if net-neutrality is a form of social justice or inequality. I have summarized each article below.
Blockchain can be thought to be a public database that stores millions of past and current transactions in the form of a publicly available ledger. The base of any blockchain is a peer-to-peer network that is maintained, updated and controlled by several pre-established rules and guidelines. These ensure the proper method of recording, uploading, storing and manipulating the data. Given how distributed the blockchain is, the problems thus arise on account of being unable to instantaneously propagate data between different nodes. If mining could be done at a more rapid rate then the reach and applicability of blockchain would be unparalleled. However, on account of these nodes being present in different corners of the world, this transaction takes longer than it should.
The article in reference mentions using a cloud-distribution network which would allow a blockchain system to perform several thousand transactions per second. The goal is to help scale different crypto currencies and global blockchains simultaneously via a provably neutral cloud. There are multiple trust models that would allow for the implementation of such a system and are being implemented in different areas of blockchain currently. The key to enabling the success of all this however lies in the ability to form trust in the blockchain ecosystem through underlying networking and enabling net-neutrality.
Another article I reviewed talks about net-neutrality and vertical integration of broadband services. It is indeed a hot topic of discussion especially when seen through the lens of net-neutrality. If a broadband provider was to vertically integrate, then the resulting firm could very easily manipulate, prioritize and influence content delivery based off an unfair advantage to its competitors. The paper utilizes a common economic comparison technique called the game-theory model to analyze this issue and put a quantitative value to the potential impact. The analysis concluded that if vertical integration were to occur, then the new firm would not be incentivized monetarily, socially or economically to abide by the concept of net-neutrality. Social Welfare, one of the variables of the model was seen to take a major hit and decrease. Although the model shows certain positive impacts and a potential scenario where competitors may in fact be more motivated to perform and catch up to the firm, the overall development of an ecosystem is negative, and thus not a viable model.