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Why Kodi Users Should Worry About Net Neutrality Rule Roll Back

    Categories: Kodi News

Update: Net Neutrality down! I repeat, Net Neutrality down!

FCC did what we all were afraid of, they revoked Net Neutrality on Kodi users, and we know it’s heartbreaking. The speculations regarding it have gained more intensity and all online gurus have started pouring their opinions on different forums. The age of free internet, equal bandwidth distribution and unrestricted access is over. In the eyes of ISPs, the users are no longer equal. It is an online social divide, per se.

Despite all the outrage that seen online against this decision, no one imagined that it would happen. This has affected many online communities and kodi users. The major victims of this whole fiasco are the small online businesses and the kodi streaming geeks. One thing we know is that it is a serious blow for Kodi users. Streaming bandwidths, privacy and security of Kodi users are in jeopardy. ISPs will now be throttling bandwidths for the preferred customers, while others suffer.

Kodi users will have to use a VPN for Kodi, because it is no longer an option, rather a need. Because it will hide your location and enable you to access Kodi streams with better bandwidth. You will be able to access the restricted streams as well.

Net Neutrality Kodi Trend in 2017

 

Repealing Net Neutrality will affect Kodi users directly as they’ll have to pay for streaming online. Quick and free online streaming will go out of the equation and the privacy of users will be at stake. The ISPs will be able to restrict the Kodi users’ access for no reason at all or overcharge them for subscribing to certain content sites. The worst that could happen is that Kodi users may be blocked from accessing the streams.

The voting for repealing net neutrality will take place on 14th of December 2017 amongst the FCC members. The outrage against it has spread worldwide and all the netizens have been speaking against it. However, the outcry hasn’t been successful in changing the committee’s stand in taking this plan forth.

It does not matter how much you analyze it, we can only list a few outcomes of this plan. The exact intensity of its ramifications is not yet analyzable. One thing we know is that it will not only affect users but the small or emerging organizations as well.

If Pai makes a move against net neutrality then there would be four ways the internet will change:

Free Data Plans

Broadband providers would allow consumers to access certain content without counting them against data limits. For example, Verizon consumers are allowed to stream some of the NFL games with data charges.

Even though free data plans would seem a popular idea amongst low income consumers as they would get to see more of the free content, but as former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler places argument, it will make it harder for smaller content creators to gain attention.

Kodi users on the other hand are the users of the free content who may have to face restrictions in viewing every content that is available on Kodi. Internet companies such as Netflix and HBO will pay a huge sum of money for faster internet speeds, while Kodi users will have to stream on lower internet speeds.

Internet Fast Lanes

Broadband companies will have the power to provide faster internet speeds to companies that pays a higher amount while it will slow down the internet speeds for companies that could not afford.

It is known as paid prioritization where video-streaming giants like Netflix would have to pay big bucks for ensuring strong downloading speeds.

Increase in Challenges for Small Companies

Abandoning net neutrality will favor dominant companies such as Google, Verizon, and Comcast. As a result, hundreds of investors and startups have written a letter to Pai and advising him on the damages that his proposal will have on the industry.

The letter addresses the issue that without net neutrality rule, the internet providers will have the power to pick winners and losers of the industry. ISPs will then prefer those users who are able to pay for the paid content or its premium users. Kodi offers third-party add-ons which will remain under limelight of ISPs. The result would lead to limited content use by Kodi users.

New Regulation for Telecom Companies

Broadband companies will no longer be controlled by FCC but it would be controlled by Federal Trade Commission FTC which do not have confidence to regulate telecommunication companies.

Critics have mentioned that the FTC do not have the desired authority to make changes in rules, neither it has the capacity to handle large quantity of data.

Can a VPN Get Around Net Neutrality on Kodi?

It is obvious that every Kodi user right now is outraged at this developing scenario. Every user is concerned about how to bypass net neutrality.

We’ve always recommended using a Kodi VPN service to protect your privacy while streaming online. However, in case of repealing net neutrality VPN usage is not just a recommendation, it will become a need.

People are concerned; can a VPN get around net neutrality? Yes, it can. Net neutrality VPN usage will hide your IP and hence your ISP cannot restrict you anymore. This way restoring net neutrality VPN will be you last savior.

No DNS leaks and no logging will protect user privacy from your ISP and enable the Kodi user to stream hassle free.

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How To Bypass Net Neutrality Using TOR

TOR is a peer-to-peer network that provides you anonymity from the web servers. Using TOR will help you, if you’re still thinking can a VPN get around net neutrality, then try TOR. It can help the Kodi users by providing p2p tunnel connections.

Still, TOR has some loopholes that might turn out to be risky for a user.

Tor or Net Neutrality VPNs?

TOR has the advantage of providing anonymity better than net neutrality VPN because it connects through a series of parallel-connected tunnels. However, VPN provides a different geo-server and connects directly. Hence, DNS leaks are at the lowest. VPN has an edge over TOR because of the number of servers it has and the encryption feature.

Nevertheless, if you want to close all the loopholes then using TOR with a VPN is the best choice. Better encryption, IP anonymity, extensive number of servers and privacy protection; everything will be covered.

Kodi Net Neutrality Reddit Users Opinions/Reviews

This whole tribulation has sparked a great discussion all around the world and Reddit has become a hot table of discussion. There are people in favor and against this rollback. One of the user shared his opinion over this situation:

Another user shared a very legit point-of-view:

 

However, this user believes that the implications of Net Neutrality predicted by everyone are not correct and they have nothing to do with Net Neutrality.

 

The implications are yet to unfold and until then, we all have our fingers crossed!

Final Thoughts

For now, FCC has yet to come up with a proposal against net neutrality that would bring the matter officially up for debate. But despite of these speculations, no one knows what will happen once FCC proposes a step against net neutrality.

Kodi users will in fact be on a radar once the net neutrality rules are abandoned by the FCC. Their only hope is the presence of big internet companies on their side who also is threatened by the new regulations that will be set in place.

Arsalan Rathore: Arsalan Saif Uddin Rathore is a business graduate and an experienced marketing professional. He has worked with multiple research think-tanks, NGOs and global organizations. Arsalan has been writing on technology and miscellaneous topics since 2013 and likes to provide a neutral and worthy insight to his readers. Besides being a writer, Arsalan is a Football player, Hunting & Trekking lover and Online Streaming Geek.

View Comments (4)

  • While some of the fears presented in this article could be legitimate, one should remember that the internet grew for 20 years before the Title II designation 2 years ago. All of the above should have already happened during that period according to think like this. It didn't, or at least was never wide spread.
    Second, if title II designation was left in place, what do you think the most likely outcome would be from ISP's? Those all hated data limits. Fine, watch all the Netflix you like for the first 5 days of the month, but a plan with 500GB data will cost double. Pay for data rather than speed. This is the logical next step, and at that point people opposed to light touch regulation would be crying for the gov't to make it mandatory that all plans be unlimited. (why stop there...speed, data, all of it should just be free right?)
    The real concern here should be for companies like Cox or others who offer IPtv. They stand to gain from limiting traffic like Netflix and Hulu as opposed to their own streaming services. Will this possibly effect Kodi users? Sure, the same as everyone else. Would data limits? Yep, sure would.
    So, moving forward, let's all talk about real issues with facts and not would be scare scenarios. The vote on Dec 14th will simply return oversight and regulation to the agency that oversaw the internet grow from the days right after BBSs to the thing it is today. Now that doesn't seem too scary does it?

    • Hello Robert, Thanks for your detailed feedback.
      So you think that setting data limits and charging double would help. It really is a concerning matter and we cannot analyze the collateral damage that it will cause. Try to take ks foaway this freedom from users and you'll see the ISP profits going downhill.
      Let us just be very honest, once these sites like Netflix and others start charging more, their viewership and hype would fall. The reason Netflix and others became popular is because of the free streaming available. Otherwise the viewership wouldn't have been this high as nobody likes to pay for it.
      On the contrary, even if they are willing to pay, that's because of net neutrality. If the users didn't had any access, then they wouldn't even have heard about these things. The credit for their growth goes to Net Neutrality and digital freedom.
      Take this away and people will always find a way. As for the ISPs, they wouldn't even have thought about this aspect if it wasn't brought up to light by the Obama administration.
      This really will be a big blow for all the major players of the market in the short term. In addition, this short term blow will be so hard to handle that all of these FCC goons will keep stumbling, trying to balance their profits and losses in the long term!

  • This is more political that one might think. It will provide easy access to one's that can afford it and block people that have to budget their spending.
    It is more about controlling information and new's.
    That is the real goal if this vote.

    • Hello Dave,
      Yes, you're right! This whole scenario is political. All the major players of the online business community and the governmental bodies have created this divide in order to remove the competition, discourage new entrants and to earn big. If it hadn't been political then the two democrat members wouldn't have voted against it and Trump Jr. wouldn't have taken it to twitter to perform his rants.
      Now the true implications will start to unfold as FCC has succeeded to rescind Net Neutrality.

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