Popular websites advocate free internet

By Anthony Davis
On September 9, 2014

Popular websites are demonstrating what saying goodbye to net neutrality could mean for the average Internet user by displaying an infinitely spinning loading symbol to illustrate what surfing the web might be like without net neutrality.

Popular tech companies such as Reddit, Etsy, Meetup and Imgur will team up Wednesday to show Internet users how they will be affected if net neutrality is taken away in what they are calling Go Slow Day.

According to Fight for the Future, an open Internet advocacy group, popular websites will not actually run slower on Go Slow Day, however, they will display decorative messages that explain the importance of net neutrality.

Preston McNair, a freshman computer forensics major, described what net neutrality means to him.

“The Internet should be accessible to everybody, despite your economic status,” McNair said. “Whether you’re a student or how avid you are with the Internet, it just makes sense to make it all equal. No organizations or companies like Comcast own the Internet, so why should companies attempt to manage it and create their own structure around it?”

Net neutrality, according to many websites, is threatened by Internet service providers that wish to charge more for services with greater bandwidth, such as Netflix and YouTube.

According to battleforthenet.com, this would allow big service providers to move certain websites into the slow lane — literally slowing down Internet service for popular websites like Netflix.

So what is at stake if net neutrality is taken away? According to the FCC, The Open Internet laws adopted in 2010 allow the Internet to be free, publicly available and free flowing, so all information is accessible at the same speed, regardless of how much is paid. Free Internet also makes it possible for anyone with access to easily communicate, create, participate, do business and revolutionize the Internet as people have since its inception.

Among the enemies of net neutrality are Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner Cable, according to battleforthenet.com. Though Comcast is listed as one of the enemies, the company states otherwise.

“A free and open internet stimulates competition, promotes innovation, fosters job creation and drives business,” according to the Comcast website. “Comcast is the only Internet service provider in America bound by full net neutrality rules, ensuring an open Internet and protecting customers.”

Jody Perry, executive director of technology services at Marshall University, expressed his thoughts on the Comcast quote. He said actions speak louder than words and people should investigate how much money Comcast has spent on FCC lobbying.

Go Slow Day lasts from midnight to 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.

http://www.marshallparthenon.com/new...-free-internet