Why Advertisers Will Survive Just Fine Without Net Neutrality (But Should Support It Anyway)

[Commentary] There's a fight taking place over the future of Internet access. Marketers can't afford to sit on the sidelines.

Broadband providers and the Federal Communications Commission are battling over whether all Internet traffic should be delivered equally, a principle known as "net neutrality." If net neutrality goes away -- a federal appeals court temporarily defanged the FCC's rules -- the cost of doing business online could skyrocket. Broadband providers like Verizon, Comcast, AT&T and Charter would be able to impose new taxes on online-content delivery, the web equivalent of express shipping charges on bandwidth-intensive service like Hulu, YouTube and Netflix. This would fundamentally hurt marketers that rely on the web to deliver rich content or commercial messages attached to video content. But it could also bring opportunity. This glass half empty/half full divide was reflected in the results of an Ad Age poll question: Would you sponsor bandwidth to keep it free for consumers? Among 93 respondents, 44% said yes, it's a vital service and brands can play a role in providing for consumers, while 56% said no way, it sends the wrong message on net neutrality.