system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
CMV: Net neutrality will never be truly & permanently protected until it is recognized as a basic civil liberty in the US.

With the FCC expected to repeal net neutrality, I began thinking about the incredible harm this could do, and what our options even are in the face of this decision. Was this somehow inevitable or could we have taken steps to prevent it? Once it is officially decided, will there be any way to reverse it? Even if we do reverse this attempt, what will stop them from trying this again in a few years? I came to the conclusion that the only way net neutrality will be entirely and permanently protected is if it is recognized as a basic civil liberty, and therefore is protected by the Constitution. This is a sad thought, however, because it seems very difficult and unlikely to get that kind of ruling (basically a constitutional amendment). Is there any other way?
gpt
The United States does not have a free market for internet service. But suppose it did. If there were as many different ISPs as there are restaurants, then net neutrality wouldn't need to be *enforced* because it would become a basic expectation and any provider who doesn't offer it would lose business. There might be some free ISPs that throttle and restrict traffic, but the paid ones would all be premium fast-lane-only services (otherwise you would pay for a different one). 

That's not actually hypothetical. Dialup internet worked this way back in the 90's. 

So if the fed would guarantee competition in general, it would not need to guarantee neutral communications pipelines. The free market really would take care of it, if we had one. Such a scenario could be created by passing laws to grant an easement to any communications provider laying/hanging net cable, thus abolishing the local telecom monopolies. Your constitutional amendment / civil liberties suggestion is way more than what's necessary.