Daily life at Emerge depends on open and neutral internet access. Businesses depend on digital interconnectivity to reach consumers. Forrester reports digital media investment will near $120 billion in five years.*

In advance of the vote on May 18th, I sat down with Sr. Solutions Architect, Django Radonich-Camp and Front-End Developer Brenna Switzer to discuss the issues regarding the attack on net neutrality.

What is at stake?

Open access to the internet is directly threatened by the recent filing by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman, Ajit Pai, to challenge the agency’s 2015 Open Internet Order. Activists are fighting back and concerned citizens are standing up to save the internet. The name of the filing itself — Restoring Internet Freedom — is absurdly innocuous and perpetuates the obscurity surrounding the issue.

Net Neutrality is the basic precept that all information that flows over the internet is treated the same. Under current regulations, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are required to treat the data neutrally. This means all data is equal. All information is equally accessible, not subject to an algorithmic or arbitrary ranking of importance.

Speculating on where this repeal might take us is both easy and frightening.  The structure this change puts in place is flawed.  No person(s), no corporation(s), no organization(s), should be put in the position to dictate a hierarchy for the information that flows over the internet.  The definition of data “importance” in this context is subjective.  The opportunity for corruption is high, and historical examples of such information control and where it can lead, are unpleasant — to say the least.

Stand Up!

Here’s what our team has to say.

We are concerned — as private citizens, entrepreneurs, and as people participating in this economy.  We at Emerge strongly support the concept of an open internet and we think you should too!

This week we put pen to paper, emails via mozilla advocacy, calls to our representatives, and comments to the FCC [GoFCCYourself.com]. Joined by our office-mates from VertueLab, our team is committed to converting passion into action. Protest the Net Neutrality Repeal!

What are YOU doing to make your voice heard? Share your stories of activism with us, and let’s amplify the effort!

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Tweet this!

Open Internet is vital to free speech, interconnectivity, and innovation. Stand up for #NetNeutrality.

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* Source: Forrester.com