Burger King released a new video using their Whopper to educate everyone about net neutrality.
In the fast food company’s latest social experiment, they released a video called “WHOPPER Neutrality,” Burger King aims to show people what it’s like to experience the repeal of Net Neutrality – but with their Whopper sandwich.
According to Burger King, they believe “the Internet should be like the Whopper sandwich: the same for everyone.”
The nearly four-minute video was released on Wednesday and has gone viral with more than one million page views in less than 24 hours.
The video starts by interviewing people on the street, asking them about Net Neutrality. Some people had a general understanding of the principle, while others couldn’t quite grasp what it was all about and why it should matter. Burger King explains Net Neutrality by “putting it in terms anyone can understand.”
In the prank video, customers purchase the Burger King sandwich but are unaware of the different customer service options available. In terms of data download and upload speeds, it is usually measured in megabits per second (Mbps), but the Whoppers in the video are sold based on which “making burgers per second” option the customer chooses.
The Burger King employee explains that if you pay more for the Whopper (higher Mbps) you will get your food quicker than if you pay for a less expensive option (lower Mbps). According to their made-up pricing menu, the “slow Mbps” whopper costs $4.99, the fast costs $12.99 and the “hyperfast” costs a whopping $25.99 per sandwich.
Most of the customers pranked in the video appear to either look confused by the different price tiers for a Whopper sandwich.
“Are you kidding me? You paid $26 for a Whopper?” one woman asked a man that received his food as soon as he ordered it. The cashier chimes in, “He’s higher priority, so …”
Burger King wants everyone to know that internet customers would be just as confused, angered or upset if they were charged more for faster access to certain websites.
At the end of the video, Burger King drives home their message by saying “The internet should be like the Whopper: the same for everyone.”
In December 2017, the FCC voted on the repeal of net neutrality rules that were established during the Obama administration. In January, 21 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the repeal.
While it’s unclear what the future will hold for net neutrality, Burger King is doing their part by letting everyone know they believe everyone should pay the same for Internet service (and their Whopper sandwich).
