Net Neutrality: Under attack!
- Nov 22, 2017
- 2 min read
What is Net Neutrality and what does Net Neutrality mean to you? " The regulations created in 2015, under President Obama’s FCC, seek to preserve free and open access to the internet and prohibit big internet service providers from providing faster service for some sites or users over others" write Natalie Brand for King5.com. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced today a draft order which will roll back existing Internet regulations as he labeled them “heavy-handed.” He is reported to have said "that decision was a mistake. It’s depressed investment in building and expanding broadband networks and deterred innovation.”
Those on the other side that want to uphold current regulations claim it'll be the end of a free and open internet for all. Aaron Pressman of Fortune writes "Netflix has long been the poster child of companies that might not exist if the Internet had been locked down and controlled more heavily by the cable and telecommunications industry in its early days. But as the video streaming pioneer has become a powerful player with nearly 100 million subscribers, it has been less obvious how strongly the company would fight to keep the Internet free and open for new businesses, including possible new competitors. Netflix originally lobbied in support of federal rules to protect net neutrality, which prohibit Internet service providers like Comcast (cmcsa, +1.87%) and Verizon (vz, +0.02%) from blocking, slowing, or otherwise discriminating against any web site or online service."
Arjun Kharpal, technology writer for CNBC reports the following:
More than 80,000 websites are taking part in an online protest against the FCC's plans to roll back net neutrality rules.
Facebook, Amazon and Google are among those participating.
Websites will display a message urging people to send a letter to the FCC.
"The goal of the protest … is to ensure that ordinary people have a voice and are heard by decision makers in Washington, D.C. No one – regardless of their political affiliation – wants their cable company to control what they can see and do on the Internet, or to charge extra fees to access the content they want."
These sites are planning to show messages on their homepages speaking out against the FCC's plans. Signs like the one below will begin to appear on some websites urging people to send a letter to the FCC. Twitter meanwhile has put out a blog post encouraging people to use the hashtag #NetNeutrality.
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