What is Net Neutrality?

The principle of Net Neutrality is that you get to use ALL your internet, ALL of the time, not depending on which site or service you're using. This means that you can access anything on the internet at the same speed. and you download everything at the same speed. This is a very simple concept and usually it works like this. If you pay for 25Mb/s, you ought to get that. Net Neutrality simply means that your internet works the way it should.

Why is Net Neutrality so important?

Net Neutrality is a part of freedom; the freedom to use the internet for whatever you feel like. If Net Neutrality isn't maintained, it would mean that some internet sites would be slowed down. In some cases a certain website or service might even become inaccessible. This is censorship and this is just plain wrong.  

Net Neutrality is better for everyone using the internet.

Now, some ISP's (at&t, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon) want to be able to charge users for a so-called 'fast-lane'. What this really means though, is that they slow down a user's connection and charge them to get it back to normal.

It's like saying the speed limit right now is 70mph, but if you pay for it, you can drive in it at 70mph. But everybody else, has to drive on the slow lane, at 30mph.

This does not make anybody faster. The only results you get are either your internet connection slowing down or your internet bill going up.
Now if these companies have their way, you will have to pay extra to use services like Netflix or facebook. This is like an electricity company charging you extra, because you use it for your computer, instead of your TV. They can't sell you 'premium electricity' for your computer, that'd be crazy. They can only charge you for the electricity you use.

These companies want to dictate what you can and can't use and even worse: they have a great interest in doing so.
Comcast and Time Warner also sell television services, similar to Netflix. Their profits have been declining due to competition from Netflix and Amazon instant video. So ofcourse they have a great interest in slowing down their competition. If they succeed in getting the power to dictate what you watch, they will take a position of internet-god. They get to decide what you watch, what company succeeds (themselves, ofcourse).


This will lead to censorship and it's contrary to freedom of speach and the ideal of a free and open internet, which encourages technological innovation, a stronger economy and healthy competion.


Support Net Neutrality

If you live in the US and wish to support Net Neutrality, I suggest writing to your local congressman or state senators and request that they support the principle.
You could aslo message the FCC, since they currently hold a vast amount of power over the rules and regulations that ISP's must abide by. The FCC recently gave an option for public comments, basically inviting everybody to give their opinion, so I highly urge you do so.
There's a massive petition going on as well, you can find it here.