Topic: Net Neutrality

General Purpose: To persuade

Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience into taking action against Internet Service
Providers(ISPs) and vote for Net Neutrality.
Introduction:
I.

Attention Getter:"You never know what you've got until it's gone. For example, the

Internet Connection"
Importance to the Audience: The internet is in trouble and it is up to us, the consumers to
protect it.
Thesis Statement: ISPs (Internet Service providers)(AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and Time
Warner) wants to end net neutrality and charge Americans more money for accessing the
internet and only we can stop them.
Preview: I will explain what ISPs are trying to do, how it will affect us, and what
consumers can do.
Transition: And so we begin.
II.
As a reminder from Battle for the Net, Net Neutrality is a principle that states that
those who provide internet to the consumers (ISPs), cannot discriminate, nor block what
applications go through those networks. So what are ISPs trying to do? Break that very
principle.
A.

Charge consumers more for their internet.

1.
We already pay high prices for decent internet. ISPs want to charge
even more for what we already have.
a)
Remember, the US pays for more data for their internet than

B.

just about anyone else in the world.

Incorporate Slow and Fast lanes.
1.
Veen explains that " To generate increased revenue, ISPs say they
should be able to do one of two things: favor traffic going to content they
provide by slowing or stopping traffic to competing content provider; or
cutting deals with consent providers so end-users get a better web

experience by using those provider's sites". This may sound decently good
on paper, but what it is really says is that consumers and businesses alike
must deal with what the ISPs want or else they will pay a larger fine.
2.
The slow lanes will be for common consumers and you and I.
a)
It will be the only thing we can afford.
3.
The fast lanes will be for people who can actually afford it.
a)
Those who have the money to be spending on more internet
C.

will get what they pay for.

Make money at the expense of everyone else and crush competition.
1.
The only reason for removing Net Neutrality is to make money.
a)
There is no ulterior motive. They want money, and how do
they do it? By limiting what we have and charging us more for
2.

something "better".
They are crushing competition. Ever wonder why there are only a

few ISPs? Why they are allowed to get away with charging such high prices
for bad service? Why there is no innovation for the internet?
a)
Picture it this way, why has the cellphone advanced so far
compared to just a few years ago? It is because companies such as
Apple, Samsung, Motorola and others are competing against each
other. In the barren wasteland of ISPs there is no competition
because they have agreed to stay out of each other's way and crush
any new competition that enters the field.
Transition: So how will this affect us?
III.

The internet is something that is absolutely needed for the consumers of today.
A.
Paying more for less.
1.
The internet we pay for is already overpriced by a severe margin
B.

compared to other countries.

Degraded service.
1.
Susanna Kim quotes "Services that consumers use without paying a
special fee to Internet service providers (ISPs) will not work as well because
they will be excluded from the ISP's "fast lane," said Michael Weinberg, vice
president at Public Knowledge, a digital advocacy group in Washington,

D.C." meaning that those who do not pay for the special treatment, are not a
priority to ISPs and get treatment as good as Comcast's customer service.
C.

D.

Only the rich will be able to get fast internet.

1.
The two tier system will ensure that they charge more for those who
can afford the faster internet while everyone else gets the slow internet.
Any small business will be crushed immediately.
1.
With Net Neutrality in place, every business starts at the same level
with the internet. They all can access the same content for the same price.
2.
With Net Neutrality broken, smaller businesses will be at a
disadvantage because they will not be able to afford the same benefits that

those with more money can afford.

Transition: What can we do to stop this madness?
IV.
Support! That is what we can do!
A.
Pressure the Federal Communications Committee(FCC).
1.
The comment system on the FCC's website is still up and running.
By leaving a comment, you are telling them that you are against the removal
of Net Neutrality.
a)
Save the internet states that "Already 3.7 million people have
weighed in on Chairman Wheeler's flawed plan, and hundreds of
thousands are fighting the proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable
2.

merger.". That is a very good amount of people.

The FCC are the people who determine whether Net Neutrality stays

or goes. By pressuring them, they will get the idea that Net Neutrality is
B.

something essential to the Internet.

Meet your Member of Congress
1.
A stretch, but nonetheless effective as Congress also has some degree
of control over the FCC. Contacting them encourages them to pressure the

C.

FCC into keeping Net Neutrality.

Speak out.
1.
Not many people know about Net Neutrality and as such, speaking
out will rally support from all over.
a)
Put up posters, wave signs, tell your friends, anything to

V.

spread the word.

Conclusion
A.
A review of main points:

1.

Net neutrality is what is keeping the internet free and available like

what we all want. Removing that freedom is the goal of current ISPs.
2.
The only people who would not be affected by removal of Net
Neutrality would be the rich.
3.
Let's protect Net neutrality once and for all.
4.
To summarize Nilay puts it like this "So theres the entire problem,
expressed in four simple ideas: the internet is a utility, there is zero
meaningful competition to provide that utility to Americans, all internet
providers should be treated equally, and the FCC is doing a miserably
ineffective job. The United States should lead the world in broadband
deployment and speeds: we should have the lowest prices, the best service,
and the most competition. We should have the freest speech and the loudest
voices, the best debate and the soundest policy. We are home to the most
innovative technology companies in the world, and we should have the
broadband networks to match."
References:
Kim, S. (2014, January 15). 5 Major Ways the Internet Will Change Without Net Neutrality.
Retrieved October 13, 2014, from http://abcnews.go.com/Business/major-waysinternet-change-net-neutrality/story?id=21541399
Pattel, N. (2014, February 25). The internet is fucked. Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/25/5431382/the-internet-is-fucked
Save the Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from
http://www.savetheinternet.com/sti-home
This is why your Internet is slow. And it'll get worse. Unless you take 1 min to do this, now.
(n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2014, from https://www.battleforthenet.com/

Veen, C. (2010). Who Rules the Net?. Government Technology, 23(1), 22.