Verizon (vs the open internet)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Charlie Furman, DemandProgress.org" <info@demandprogress.org>
Date: Jan 15, 2014 2:23 PM
Subject: Verizon
To: "Daniel A. Stafford" <aquarianm@gmail.com>
Cc:

Daniel --

Yesterday, 3 judges dismantled the open Internet by deciding that big companies should be able to determine what we see online.

They struck down "Net Neutrality" – the principle that no corporation or state authority can censor, slow down, block, or privilege certain content on the web. It's the basis for what has made the Internet a place for creativity, free speech, and innovation.

Without Net Neutrality, the very startups that make the Internet a force of innovation will be throttled – unable to compete with incumbent businesses that can pay to provide their access faster than any startup could.

Tell the FCC – protect the Internet and restore Net Neutrality rules.

As of yesterday's ruling, no one can protect Internet users from ISPs that block or discriminate against websites, applications or services. Companies like Verizon will now be able to block or slow down any website, application or service they like.

Carriers can now charge content providers to make sure their content works well – something that privileges companies already dominating the market at the expense of the startups that have made the Internet great. Facebook or Google might be able to afford preferential treatment – but what about the startup that otherwise could replace them?

It's incredibly insidious, and it threatens to take away the level playing field that's made the Internet such an incredible boon for society.

The FCC, however, has the power to protect Net Neutrality – if they classify broadband as a communications service, something we all know it is with all the time we spend communicating with friends and loved ones via e-mail and social media, they'll have the power to reinstate Net Neutrality rules.

Tell the FCC to reclassify broadband as a communications service and protect the open Internet.

We've fought to save Net Neutrality before, and we're going to save it this time, too. Together we will protect the Internet.

Thanks for all you do,
Charlie Furman

P.S. This is going to be one of our hardest fights yet because some of the very same allies we've had in the past are now some of the biggest incumbents in the market – that means your support is that much more important. Donate to Demand Progress now and help us protect Net Neutrality.

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