Not attending a Red Alert rally today? You can still help save Net Neutrality

Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, said it best:

“When I invented the web, I didn’t have to ask anyone for permission, and neither did America’s successful internet entrepreneurs when they started their businesses. To reach its full potential, the internet must remain a permissionless space for creativity, innovation and free expression. In today’s world companies can’t operate without internet, but access to it is controlled by just a few providers.”

The idea that centralized powers could make certain content so expensive that it is no longer available to everyone, while pushing other content on us by making it cheap and available is ridiculous. If you agree that Net Neutrality should not be repealed, you need to act now. Here’s how you can do your part to encourage lawmakers to reconsider the repeal of net neutrality.

How does Net Neutrality affect you?

Under the current net neutrality repeal, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would be given a relatively free window with which to make decisions about Internet service.

This could allow internet providers to start offering packages to select webpages, in a similar way to how your cable provider offers you a bundle for certain channels. It could also mean that, without rules prohibiting paid prioritization, a fast lane could be occupied by big internet and media companies, or wealthy households, giving the large organizations that already control a large portion of our world, even more advantages.

Today, companies like Netflix, Tumblr, Reddit, Foursquare, Shutterstock, Tinder, Vimeo, Warby Parker, Edgemesh, etc. have all gone on Red Alert.

What is Red Alert?

The Red Alert campaign is part of the Battle for the Net initiative, led by the digital advocacy nonprofit Fight for the Future. Through its site, supporters of net neutrality can register their unhappiness with the proposed repeal, by sending a note to the appropriate law maker. Fight for the Future has been working hard to convince US lawmakers to use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overrule the FCC’s decision. In addition to the website, the group is rallying support for a day of (real world) net neutrality protests occurring today, Monday, May 14.

I call on you to join today’s protest and help in the fight to get law makers to see how ludicrous this idea really is. Then all we can do is wait with baited breath until the Senate votes to repeal the previous net neutrality decision, which will take place on May 16th.