What President Obama did yesterday is a big deal for anyone who uses the internet. (Hi!)
He’s urging the Federal Communications Commission to protect net neutrality—the principle that all web traffic should be treated the same, and not controlled by providers.
If you think a free and open internet is a good thing, sign our petition to tell the FCC you stand with President Obama’s plan to protect net neutrality.
The concept of a free and open internet has been part of the whole deal from the beginning.
It’s common sense: Your cable or phone company shouldn’t get to be a gatekeeper to the internet. They shouldn’t get to slow down or block access to sites you love, or be able to charge you extra if you use a service like Facebook or Netflix.
Consumers like that about the internet—and our economy depends on it. Net neutrality encourages innovation, and puts entrepreneurs on a level playing field.
But if some internet service providers get their way, that could all change forever. They want to have a say in how you use the internet, or how fast your favorite sites load.
The FCC will get to decide which way this goes—that’s why it’s so important that President Obama spoke up yesterday, calling for the “strongest possible rules” to protect net neutrality.
His plan is simple: No blocking websites, no slowing down content, no “fast lane” deals, and more transparency.
That’s something worth fighting for—especially in the face of an absurdly well-funded opposition. The groups trying hard to end net neutrality have plenty of allies in Washington. One of them, Senator Ted Cruz, wasted no time yesterday criticizing the President’s plan, calling it “Obamacare for the internet”… which, as far as I can tell, makes sense to exactly no one.
The President is out there, fighting for net neutrality, because none of us can afford to take it for granted.
