I knew about Internet neutrality before the course. It is a set of laws and practices that prevents Internet service providers (ISP) to block, slow down, or charge extra for access to specific sites and types of data. Net Neutrality protects not only the users from ISPs demanding exorbitant payments, but also protects users from internet censorship. In countries like Russia or China, ISPs can be ordered by the government to block or restrict access to certain sites, such as Twitter, Youtube, and many others. Net Neutrality laws prevent such actions to be taken by governments as well.
The consequences of completely ending net neutrality would be devastating to freedom of speech. US politicians on both sides have already shown their preference and tendency for censorship, meaning that one less law to prevent such actions would be used against those who try to bring the truth to the masses. If the federal government enforces net neutrality, then it would be able to have the same rules for everyone across the board. Otherwise, different states might have different legislations on it, giving ISPs the chance to overturn net neutrality in different places.
I support net neutrality as one of the prerequisites not only for the convenience of users but also as a means of protection of freedom of speech. Without it, the US and other countries may become one step closer to becoming tyrannies. It should be enforced by the Federal government across the entirety of the US and immune to being repealed under any circumstances. The fight against net neutrality is going on since at least 2003, and the fate of these laws lies solely upon the vigilance of conscious citizens.