As you’ve likely heard, the Internet Slowdown, an Internet-wide Day of Action in support of net neutrality, begins tomorrow. Companies including Kickstarter, Netflix, Mozilla, Etsy, and Foursquare will have banners on their sites calling attention to the devastating Internet slowdown that will happen if net neutrality isn’t protected.
Support for real net neutrality rules is gaining momentum, with major political leaders like Nancy Pelosi joining millions of citizens in demanding that the FCC reclassify broadband as a Title II common carrier service. But, if we have any hope of protecting an open Internet, policymakers need to hear from startups about how important net neutrality is to their businesses. Net neutrality is more than a free speech issue—it’s also an economic issue. Contrary to cable company assertions, net neutrality has been the norm on the Internet for most of its existence, and it’s because of this openness that the Internet has been such a hotbed of economic innovation.
Without net neutrality, the next Google or Facebook may be throttled out of existence. We need you to take action to make sure the Internet is open for the next wave of innovators. Join us tomorrow by making a phone call to your senators asking that they encourage the FCC to reclassify broadband to protect net neutrality. Or, help spread the word by tweeting about the Day of Action and the need for an open Internet.
We hope you’re all planning to join! If you’d like more information, shoot me an email at evan@engine.is.
