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[Tye The Czar]

I'm sure a lot of you know that today is the day of action to protect Net Neutrality rules from being overturned by the FCC.

What Is Net Neutrality?
For those not in the know, Net Neutrality was implemented in 2015 by popular demand to protect internet from biased treatment from Internet Service Providers. What this means is that ISPs can't throttle bandwidth for websites they don't like.

How is Net Neutrality under attack now?
Now, with former Verizon crony Ajit Pai running the FCC, he has started his move to attack Net Neutrality under the excuse for "internet freedom." That freedom only really applies to the ISPs to control what you can and can't see and do online.

What could possibly happen if Net Neutrality gets gutted?
Possible scenarios include blocking out news sites that contradict the views of the companies, being forwarded to sites that they prefer you see, or making you pay extra fees for sites you take for granted, such as Facebook, Netflix and Youtube.

How is this even Gaming related?
On the topic of Gaming, online communities could be shattered thanks to the loss of Net Neutrality. For instance, only people willing to pony up extra dough to Verizon for the privilege to play Overwatch online with a decent connection and the low latency you know and love. Imagine having the entirety of Steam and your Library completely at the mercy of Comcast.

What can I do?
If you want to fight to keep Net Neutrality, you can start here, at battleforthenet.com

Gut this if old or off-topic.

 

[Landford]

Dont let them take away your free domains.

 

[LordofPwn]

It sucks we have to keep fighting for this... Like do we have to do this again in a few months or every year? Internet is basically a utility today and with most places not having competition it should be treated as such.

If Net neutrality gets overturned hype threads filled with those gifs you like may take longer to load or cost extra to see.

Think about the gifs!

 

[TheRedSnifit]

ANCIENT ALIENS

 

[exmachina64]

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

 

[Sinatar]

This is a battle you won't win with Trump in office.

 

[Elfforkusu]

This is a battle you won't win with Trump in office.

This kind of thinking is a self-fulfilling prophecy

 

[eizarus]

Any BS addresses for us non-US gaffers to use? Would love to spam Congress with this. There's no way this shit doesn't have a domino effect.

 

[Militaratus]

If only I added the $120 Online Gaming Premium package to my already $60 non-fiber ISP subscription:

 

[Machina]

Just one more dot point to the list of reasons to be relieved not to be American

 

[RedRum]

I've seen it everywhere today. Glad's it's been fought against in some capacity.

 

[Cynar]

This is a battle you won't win with Trump in office.

Get that sorry shitty attitude out of here. We can beat this.

 

[Hockeymac18]

ANCIENT ALIENS

Any ancient aliens meme will take longer to load of Verizon has their way.

 

[banktree]

This kind of thinking is a self-fulfilling prophecy

The only thing that can be done is to fucking vote for Democrats in the next election. No matter who has the D next to their name.

Calling representatives became pointless once they realized there was no repurcussions from not having townhalls and letting their voicemails fill up. The only reason the GOP backed off of Healthcare is because that was something that affects their older base, it's something they pay attention to. You're not going to find a GOP voter that is going to vote any differently on Net Neutrality when most of their base lives in places that barely have broadband internet.

Get Democrats in office and the pendulum will swing back to where it was. If 2016 happens again next year with "Both sides are the same!" and having to have perfect candidates, nothing will ever change.

But sure as hell with Trump in office and Republicans holding the house and Senate, bitching on the internet isn't going to do it this time.

 

[Ex-Psych]

Not this shit again, why do they keep trying?

 

[Sinatar]

Not this shit again, why do they keep trying?

Because the roadblocks are gone.

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

Not this shit again, why do they keep trying?

People voted for Republicans.

 

[xealo]

Not this shit again, why do they keep trying?

All 3 branches of government is controlled by the right. They do it because they can.

 

[Hexer06]

Did my part but we'll see if it helps. I swear this has been coming up so often it seems. :/

 

[chaosblade]

Signed it, but emails don't do as much as calling or writing.

And telcos are going to keep doing this until they succeed, and their chances are probably at an all time high right now. No informed constituent wants this, but it won't be a big enough deal to most of the Republican voting base until it's already said and done.

But hey, it's just another way the GOP can give the country another good shove backwards. For being the party that's supposed to be big on American exceptionalism, they sure seem to want us to continue to fall behind other developed nations in every way possible.

 

[Thores]

This is beginning to feel exhausting... which is what Comcast et al are counting on. This is really important. I'm begging other GAFfers to not let this fall off the first page.

 

[Dreamwriter]

Here’s my problem with that website. The little forms they are spreading don’t say what happens when you hit the “Send Letter” button. It hints that somehow the letter will go to “Congress & the FCC” - well, which is it? Who in Congress? Where at the FCC? In fact, all it clearly says (in the fine print) is that when you press that button, you are joining a mailing list. And which one? I’ve been to that site a few times, and it has listed a few different companies as ones you are joining mailing lists from (at least three). If you go to their privacy policy, it turns out they “may be” sharing your email address with every company listed on the site - and that’s a lot. Do you really want to give your email address to all these companies?

https://www.battleforthenet.com/july12/#participants

If you enter your information as part of a clearly-labeled “joint action” with another organization, we may share your name, email and other information you have entered with the partner organization(s) for that particular action.

If you want to comment on Net Neutrality, instead go to the source. Go to https://www.fcc.gov, go to the bottom of the page, you’ll see the current FCC leadership, along with links to email them. Ajit Pai, FCC Chairman, former lawyer for Verizon, is the one behind the movement to remove Net Neutrality from the lawbooks. Or contact your local Congress Representative. These actions will mean far more than any electronic petition too.