An Internet for Some threatens health for All : What effects could the repeal of net neutrality in the USA have on individual and population health?

Abstract

In the United States of America, the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of the popular Open Internet Order (a.k.a ‘net neutrality’) has yielded pointed criticism from many different sectors, but it has yet to be examined for its potential effect on the public’s health. In this commentary, we focus on the health implications of this policy change, considering expert opinion on the subject, past history, and global perspectives. We argue that the repeal of net neutrality has the potential to compromise health education and promotion efforts by widening the ‘digital divide’, thereby impairing health literacy and exacerbating health inequities. By negatively affecting people’s ability to access, understand, and use unbiased, evidence-based health information to improve and maintain their health, the repeal of net neutrality may hinder the World Health Organization’s vision of ‘Health for All’ by dismantling public protections in the name of corporate profit.