Here’s What You Need to Know About the Net Neutrality Day of Action
Protests are taking place across the country today, but unlike at the women’s march, you won’t see anyone out in the streets with picket signs. Instead, the Net Neutrality Day of Action is happening online — perhaps you’ve noticed Netflix’s “This GIF will buffer until #NetNeutrality is safe” tweets? Here’s what you need to know.
The quick explanation is that net neutrality aims to keep the internet a fair platform. In 2015, the Federal Communications Commission enacted rules that ensure no one company can monopolize or control the internet, limit access to online apps and websites, or reach internet users faster than anyone else. Recently, though, the new FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, proposed rolling back those rules.
This GIF will buffer until #NetNeutrality is safe. @GLOWnetflix pic.twitter.com/xDg5ylNKie
— Netflix US (@netflix) July 12, 2017
According to the Internet Association, “Net neutrality is in real jeopardy, and we’re banding together in support of strong net neutrality rules… Your internet service providers and some at the Federal Communications Commission want to change these rules and potentially limit your access to the best of the internet. So what can you do? Take action, and tell the FCC that you care about the open internet and competition online.”
Sites including Netflix, Tumblr, Spotify, and Etsy are taking part in various ways, with altered homepage displays and logos, links to posts about net neutrality, and prompts to sign petitions to protect net neutrality.
You can take action yourself by tweeting your support with the #NetNeutrality hashtag, or writing the FCC to let them know that you think net neutrality is vital (Mashable even has a handy dandy guide to show you how).
What do you think about net neutrality? Let us know @BritandCo!
(h/t Refinery29; photo via Hero Images/Getty)