NET NEUTRALITY
By definition net neutrality is “the principle that Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favoring or blocking particular products or websites.”
The question at hand is: why is this important? Without net neutrality, internet service providers can censor information. They can discriminate against views they don’t agree with or give preferential treatment to those they do. They decide the content you can see and they decide which content to withhold.
Cable companies such as Cox, Comcast, and Verizon are lobbying to end net neutrality. Do you think they have the consumer’s best interests at heart? When was the last time one of these companies did something to truly benefit their customers? The cable companies are spending millions to end net neutrality instead of using that money to improve their networks. Ending net neutrality would give them the power to see and control what you do online. They would be able to slow down specific websites to support their own agenda or force that company to pay substantially more to not be slowed down. What happens to companies that can’t afford to pay the ransom the cable companies put on their sites? It will destroy startups and small businesses.
ISP’s have “vowed not to hinder internet access” but if that’s the case, why would they spend the time and resources on trying to overturn the current net neutrality rules? Who would benefit from their overturn? Certainly not the consumer and certainly not small businesses.
Maintaining net neutrality is crucial to insure a level playing field for businesses. Small businesses especially rely on the internet for various things from advertising products to interacting with customers. An internet that is censored by ISP’s will diminish growth, innovation and creativity.
Please speak up, call and email your congressmen, tell your friends to do the same.
