The Devastating Impact of Today’s Ruling
Today, the FCC voted to repeal Obama’s net neutrality regulations. You’ve probably noticed that people aren’t happy. We are some of those people.
Here is a brief recap to get you up to speed, along with the ethics behind why you should be seriously pissed off.
What Exactly Is Net Neutrality?
If you’re not up to speed on the details of this, here is a quick recap:
- Net Neutrality is how the internet has always operated
- It keeps the internet free and open to all users
- It allows you to connect with whatever websites or download whatever applications you want to
- It means you’re in control of your online experience
Because he is a good human and a smart man, Barack Obama put policies in place to protect this and make sure these facts hold true.
So, What’s the Fuss?
Well, these policies were just repealed. The theory behind the repeal is that instead of the federal government meddling in the Internet, it should be left in the hands of the free market.
What Does the Repeal Mean?
It means that companies like AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon are now in control of your online experience. They can now restrict which websites, content, or applications you’re able to access.
This gives them the power to:
- Charge you more money to access certain websites
- Hide their competitor’s content
- Prevent access to websites with opposing political views
If You Believe in Equal Rights, You Should Be Furious
Any already marginalized population, for example, people of color, the LGBTQ community, or low-income communities now have more barriers to break through.
Instead of using the internet – one of the modern age’s most valuable and powerful assets – to connect, educate, support, and break impoverished communities out of a vicious cycle of hunger, homelessness, and violence, we just added another boulder to their backs.
Think of the role the internet has played in human rights. Does Black Lives Matter ring a bell?
People of color, the LGBTQ community, indigenous peoples and religious minorities in the United States rely on the open internet to organize, access economic and educational opportunities, and fight back against systemic discrimination.” (Save The Internet)
With the repeal of Net Neutrality, these communities just had their strongest tool ripped from their hands. Communities that were finally connecting and having their voices heard. Will now be, once again, silenced.
How Does This Impact My Business?
Human rights and emotions aside, if you’re a small business owner, or you’re trying to launch a new technology without a serious financial backing, 0pen up the checkbook – not just to an awesome agency like ours, but to these organizations that now control the Internet.
So, What Can You Do?
If you weren’t mad before, hopefully, you are now. Here’s how you can take action.
