Why net neutrality is a big deal (and why you should care)

If you’ve been keeping up with U.S. news, you may have heard the issue of net neutrality pop up a few times. Here’s the thing: If you’re an American, net neutrality is an issue you should be paying attention to and advocating for now and in the future.

Why we need net neutrality

Let’s start with a basic idea of what net neutrality really is. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, this video sums it up pretty accurately.

If net neutrality did not exist, internet service providers would be able to offer select businesses quicker loading times for their website or content. But to make the service of select companies faster, that would mean that any business that didn’t pay a premium would have slower loading times. It would give huge companies and conglomerates an unfair advantage over those who did not pay extra, and could make it near impossible for cash-strapped small businesses to thrive online. Without net neutrality, internet providers could also potentially block their users from accessing certain sites or content, bringing the question of internet censorship into the mix.

Two of our developers recently sat down to give our take on why net neutrality is important for individuals and small business owners on the web.

At Name.com, we believe all of our customers should be on equal footing, no matter the size of your business or the amount of money you want to invest in your website. But as net neutrality once again finds itself on the chopping block, it’s time for Americans to get involved and defend their internet freedom.

So how can I get involved?

The best way to prevent the FCC from overturning Open Internet laws is to tell them directly—it’s simple to do and will make a big impact. Watch this tutorial on how to leave a comment on the FCC’s site and then proceed to the handy link gofccyourself.com (Thanks John Oliver.) to let your voice be heard.

Take action today to preserve our internet freedoms for tomorrow!