Net Neutrality is a must. Without it the Web as everyone knows it might end. The ease with which to reach your favorite sites is GOING TO END.
• The speed with which to reach those sites is GOING TO END.
• The ease with which you share videos with friends is GOING TO END.
• The freedom to access the site of any organization from Planned Parenthood to The Christian Coalition is GOING TO END.
• Access to the wide selection of web-series is GOING TO END.
• Access to the amazing choice of shopping sites is GOING TO END.
• Access to information from a multitude of educational institutions is GOING TO END.
This is because:
a) You are moving to China.
b) You are moving to Iran.
c) You are severing your ISP connection.
d) The efforts of ATT, Comcast, Time/Warner Cable, Verizon, Verizon Wireless, The NCTA
The correct answer is “d”. The list of restrictions above is currently the plan of the United States TELECOM COMPANIES, who are trying to erode a long-standing Internet principle – Net Neutrality – which keeps the Internet as an open platform. As it stands now, anyone can create and distribute content on the Web and anyone can access any number of sites at comparable speeds. Net Neutrality is what makes the Internet so great – and so vital for innovation and creativity.
These Telecom companies, the people who charge you every month for access to the Internet, have waged an extremely aggressive campaign against the very access for which you’re paying.
They don’t like that they can’t tell you WHAT to watch.
They don’t like that they can’t CONTROL the information you are accessing.
They don’t like that with just a couple of bucks, you can build a website or a platform or a web-series that can garner the size of audience that ONLY THEY USED TO COMMAND.
They don’t like that they can’t get A CUT OF ALL OF IT.
They grew accustom to controlling your phone rates (Hello, Skype). They grew accustom to controlling what you saw on cable. They grew accustom to their arrangement with the studios and the networks. And they grew accustom to the manner in which they financially participated in those arrangements. Now, because of the Internet, we have a different media landscape.
In Washington right now, the Federal Communications Commission is attempting to make Net Neutrality a hard and fast rule for the Internet. This would stop AT&T and other companies from destroying web content and your access to it. Because of this, the Telecom Companies have nearly 500 LOBBYISTS in place to steal your Internet freedom. There are only 535 members of Congress. That’s nearly one lobbyist for every member of Congress. The TELECOM COMPANIES have also (at press time) already spent nearly $75 MILLION dollars to convince lawmakers to restrict your unfettered Internet access.
This is serious business. For them AND for us. A liberated Internet will continue to be a reality in your life (and in the lives of your children) if rules like NET NEUTRALITY are in place. Everyone has a say and the power to stop the telecom lobby -- call and write the FCC; your Representatives and Senators in Congress and tell them you want strong Net Neutrality protections that put your interests first over the telecom and cable lobby.

Net Neutrality is not just a progressive or liberal idea. Even the Christian Coalition has published an essay on The Conservative Case for Net Neutrality http://www.cc.org/commentary/c.....neutrality

I understand some not endorsing Net Neutrality just yet have some concerns -- they don't want government to be able to censor what we do or say online -- we need rules requiring ISPs to practice reasonable network management -- the trick is how do you define what is or isn't reasonable network management? That's the rub where the FCC and Congress will have to tread carefully in explaining. However, we do need Net Neutrality (we've always had it the big telecom and cable lobby though want to get rid of it) which is why the campaign to defend it emerged.

This is about whether to allow monopoly control of the Internet or public control. This is about open or closed communication. It is a battle between democracy and plutocracy. We must learn from history -- every time a trans formative new technology emerged with the power to give a voice to the voiceless there was a great moment of hope. We saw it when radio was invented in the 1920s, Television in the 1950s, Cable Television in the 1980s, each time media moguls send their lobbyists to Washington to co-op and monetize the technologies before they get off the ground. Each time the public truly had a chance to reclaim the media it was sacrificed to corporate power. However, this time we stand at a unique cross road we have a tool that not only speaks truth to power it defends truth from power. We can use the Internet to save The Internet.

We know the future will go down one of two paths -- the first is the righteous path of openness and non discrimination where anyone with a good idea can make it big; the second is of a closed Internet that looks like cable TV and radio of today -- Internet that is non longer a vibrant democratic equal town square for all of us but a cash cow for a few. An Internet where giant phone and cable companies get to decide what's on, how much it costs and how fast it downloads. In the future of communications its all or nothing -- open or closed; viable for the entire public or for just a few.

We need Internet that works for everyone rich or poor, urban or rural. That is why I urge anyone and everyone willing to listen to join the movement for a better democratic Internet at SaveTheInternet.com, or go to anyone of the other websites with petitions for Net Neutrality like MoveOn.org, ACLU.org, Common Cause, or The Christian Coalition via http://www.cc.org/olcampaign/defend_net_neutrality