Can A VPN Bypass Net Neutrality Rollback And Throttling? — Here Are 3 Top Services To Help You

Defying the advice from security and technology experts, the Federal Communications Commission has repealed the net neutrality rules by a 3-2 vote. This move is expected to cement the positions of larger ISPs, thanks to FCC chairman Ajit Pai, who was also a former Verizon employee.
Apart from encouraging paid prioritization and numerous data security/privacy concerns, this move might also mean a serious blow to smaller ISPs and internet-based technology companies. Now, your existing ISP has got the power to sell your data to the highest bidders.
This brings us to the imminent question — What next? While lawsuits, protests, and debates need to take place with greater gravity to reclaim your access to the open web in the upcoming months, what else can you do? This is where VPN and Net neutrality relationship comes into play.

Using a VPN can help you — here’s how

In , a VPN service like NordVPN can act as your trusted privacy companion by allowing you to access the web with the protection of encryption.

As a result, a service provider won’t be able to see your data and can’t know which websites you visit. All your traffic gets routed through VPN servers and the ISP can only know that you’re connected to some VPN server. As a result, an ISP won’t be able to block a particular website for you or slow it down (Note: Don’t forget to see VPN blocking possibilities below).
So, what VPNs should one choose to fight against Net neutrality? Are they really useful?
In our previous articles on the importance of using a VPN service, we’ve recommended services like Private Internet Access, Express VPN, and NordVPN from time to time. You can read their detailed reviews as well — Express VPN review and NordVPN review. These services are known to operate in the US and provide high-quality support. While ExpressVPN is known for its 24×7 support and Netflix streaming, PIA is for cost-effectiveness and reliability.

VPN and Net neutrality: Can VPNs be blocked by ISPs?

While a VPN will restrict an ISP from blocking individual websites, there are some scenarios that could be troublesome. Here, I’m talking about throttling VPN traffic altogether.
While slowing down VPN traffic is theoretically possible, it has a lot of technical and business challenges. There are tons of corporate customers who use VPNs for work, and ISPs would need to come up with something newer to block VPN traffic (and not displease them).
VPN companies too have some options to circumvent this challenge by changing the IPs frequently and forcing ISPs to maintain a vast list of updated servers.
Similar sentiments on VPN and Net neutrality were also expressed by leading VPN provider PIA: “We won’t let you get throttled or let your ISP choose what you have or don’t have access to. If it comes to cat and mouse, then so be it. There’s 4.2 billion IPv4 IPs and basically a lot of IPv6 IPs that we can use.”

                  REST IN PEACE Neutrality 

T he past one year’s effort made by American citizens has been rejected by the Federal Communications Committee, headed by Ajit Pai, which has just voted to repeal the net neutrality rules established under the Obama administration. It looks like Christmas came pretty early for ISP giants.

In this process of killing net neutrality, the vote was 3 to 2. Along the party lines, Republican Commissioners voted in favor of the order; Democratic Commissions voted against the same. While Pai titled his order as “Restoring Internet Freedom,” Democrat Mignon Clyburn said it should be called “Destroying Internet Freedom.”
Now, broadband won’t be classified as a Title II service. As a result of this change, FFC won’t be acting as an active regulator of the broadband industry, allowing the companies to throttled or block websites/content as per their wish. The rich technology players would be able to avail services like paid prioritization. However, ISPs will need to disclose such practices.
That’s not all. Now, American states won’t be able to override the new order with their own legislation.
“The Internet is the greatest free market innovation in history. What is responsible for the phenomenal development of the Internet? It certainly wasn’t heavy-handed government regulation,” Pai said before vote, according to Ars Technica. “Following today’s vote, American consumers will still be able to access the websites they want to visit,” he added.
“As a result of today’s misguided action, our broadband providers will get extraordinary new power from this agency. They will have the power to block websites, throttle services, and censor online content,” Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel said.
“They will have the right to discriminate and favor the internet traffic of those companies with whom they have pay-for-play arrangements and the right to consign all others to a slow and bumpy road,” she added.
“Maybe several providers will quietly roll out paid prioritization packages that enable deep-pocketed players to cut the queue. Maybe a vertically integrated broadband provider decides that it will favor its own apps and services. Or some high-value Internet-of-things traffic will be subject to an additional fee. Maybe some of these actions will be cloaked under non-disclosure agreements and wrapped up in mandatory arbitration clauses so that it will be a breach of contract to disclose these publicly or take the provider to court over any wrongdoing. Some may say, “Of course, this will never happen.” After today’s vote, what will be in place to stop them?” Clyburn continued.
This development means that a new and bigger fight has just started. But, not everything’s lost. You can expect different lawsuits heading to courts in near future. Also, Congress has the power to pass a law and make things right.
What are your views on this Net neutrality vote? What should be the future course of action? Share your views and become a part of the discussion.