Running head: THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING NET NEUTRALITY

The Importance of Understanding Net Neutrality

Carolina Alvarado
University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract
This research paper reviews a sample of university students to understand how much
importance students give to the topic of net neutrality. In the research there is comparison
between majors, age, and gender to see if there is any correlation. First hand research was done
at the University of Texas at El Paso campus in the College of Business, College of Engineering,
College of Nursing, and College of Liberal Arts. Second hand resources were also used such as
government websites in order to have background knowledge on the effects that the public has
when dealing with political issues.

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Introduction
Net neutrality has been a top point of discussion in the white house since the year 2007
and as of February 26, 2015 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has finally voted
in favor of a free and equal internet. Although this debate has been declared won, it is still
important that the public stays informed on what net neutrality is, the debates that happened in
the process to win the FCCs vote and what to expect in the future. More than 4 million people
reached out to the FCC to speak their opinion on why we should have net neutrality. If these 4
million people had not taken the time to inform themselves on what net neutrality is and why it is
important, and had not continuously stayed updated or reached out to the FCC, then would we
have won this debate? Most likely net neutrality would have been discarded or the fight would
have continued for another eight years. This leads to the questions, Why should the public be
involved and informed on topics such as net neutrality? and How much do college students
know about net neutrality?
Research
In order to conduct this research, a survey was developed for college students to answer.
The survey consisted of the following questions:
Male or Female:
Age:
Major:
Define Net Neutrality:
In your opinion how important is it to have net neutrality?
Not at all. Very little. Im indifferent. Important. Extremely Important.

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Fifty students were asked to answer this survey. The answers provided by the students
were used as a sample to represent the population of current college students and how much they
know or do not know about net neutrality. Secondary resources were also used, such as
whitehouse.gov, The Economist, the American Civil Liberties Union Website, the FCC.gov, and
theopeninter.net.
Once all of the surveys were answered all of the qualified information was quantified by
using bar graphs and pie charts in order to interpret how much information students know or do
not know about net neutrality. The information was broken down by age groups, male or female,
and majors. This was done to compare and contrast as well as find any correlation between how
much knowledge certain groups have about the topic. The survey was distributed as evenly as
possible to males and females.
Results
After reviewing all fifty questioners the results showed that the older the student the more
knowledge they had on net neutrality therefore gave it a higher importance than the rest of the
students. The three oldest students, ages 26, 27, and 28 where the only ones that defined net
neutrality correctly and rated the importance as Very Important. The majors of these three
individuals were business and engineering, one female and two males. The rest of the results
were also as expected and as follow: 18% rated little importance, 16% rated no importance, 42%
rated of importance, 18% rated indifference, and 6% rated very important.
Through the results, it was also possible to understand that there is not much of a
difference between gender and who understand net neutrality most. The results were interpreted
in the following graphs:

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Age

Female & Male

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6
Majors

Interpretation of Importance

Conclusion and Future Study

Based on the results and the interpretation of the charts, it can be concluded that the
student population of at the University of Texas at El Paso is in a fifty-fifty margin of
understanding what net neutrality is and why it is important. From the forty-two percent of

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students that stated net neutrality is important eighty person of them defined net neutrality
correctly. The rest of the students were close to the correct definition and wrote responses not in
debt such as, free internet. From the thirty-six percent that stated indifferent/little importance
about ninety percent did not know how to define net neutrality but stated that it sounds like
something important or I heard about it in class but I did not understand so it must be
important.
Based on the responses provided and the pool of students surveyed there was not enough
diversity to gather enough information to determine if this sample represents the population of
university students in the United States. In a future study it would be important to have a bigger
sample of students fill out the survey. There should be more diversity in majors, and age groups.
The ratio of males to females should stay at fifty-fifty, although based on the results shown
above gender did not have much of an influence in responses. The biggest difference was in the
age group and majors of the subjects.
Based on the findings of the second hand research, it is important for the public to stay
informed on government issues such as net neutrality because of how one can affect decisions
done in congress. If the 4 million people that were informed and reached out the FCC to have
their voice heard had kept quiet then it is quite possible that net neutrality would have been
banned. Along with ACLU.org providing answers to those wanting to be informed it shows that
if the public does not involve themselves in politics then debates on such a topic can go on for
years.

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References
Net Neutrality: A Free and Open Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from
https://www.whitehouse.gov/net-neutrality
What Is Net Neutrality? (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2015, from https://www.aclu.org/net-neutrality
New ACLU Report Calls On FCC To Take Action To Protect Openness On The Internet. (2010,
October 19). Retrieved March 28, 2015, from https://www.aclu.org/free-speech-technology-andliberty/new-aclu-report-calls-fcc-take-action-protect-openness-internet
Open Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2015, from http://www.fcc.gov/openinternet
A Guide to the Open Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2015, from http://theopeninter.net/
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Net Neutrality (HBO) [Motion picture]. (2014). YouTube.

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