Equal Access & Net Neutrality

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts related to equal access and net neutrality based on lecture notes.

Digital Divide

The gap between those who have easy access to technology and those who do not, often due to financial or geographical disadvantages.

Equal Access

The principle that everyone should have the same opportunities to access resources and technology, regardless of background or ability.

Benefits of Equal Access

Includes access to services for individuals, enhanced business performance, and a well-educated society that reduces discrimination and unemployment.

Equality Act

Legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate against individuals based on protected characteristics and requires services to provide reasonable adjustments for accessibility.

ISO-9241-171

Guidelines focused on the accessibility of software across various IT systems.

WCAG 2.1

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines providing standards for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Perceivable

One of the four principles of WCAG which states that information must be presented in a way that users can perceive.

Operable

Principle of WCAG ensuring that user interface and components are operable by users, including keyboard accessibility.

Understandable

Principle of WCAG that requires information and user interfaces to be understandable and text to be readable.

Robust

WCAG principle that ensures compatibility with user agents and assistive technologies, requiring valid HTML.

Net Neutrality

The principle that all data on the internet should be treated equally, meaning internet providers cannot block, throttle, or charge for access to content.

Throttling

The intentional slowing down of internet speeds by internet service providers, often affecting access to certain services.

Impact of No Net Neutrality

Could lead to smaller businesses suffering from slower internet speeds while larger businesses may have the financial means to secure priority access.

Speed Throttling Examples

Reported instances where US ISP AT&T throttled Netflix traffic 70% of the time and YouTube traffic 74% of the time, leading to poor video quality.

Future of Net Access

The potential scenario where customers may have to pay extra to access popular sites like Netflix, similar to subscription models for premium channels.