SHIT’S GOING DOWN GUYS.

I hate to be a deb on a Monday, but this topic is important! I’m not into politics, but I am really into the internet, so I started to do my research this weekend.

I also started to do research on Bitcoins this weekend, but that had me beyond lost (better off learning Chinese probably), so I stuck to learning all about Net Neutrality, & the repeal.

I knew the basics about Net Neutrality, but I was nowhere near informed enough. My business is blogging, the internet is my world at this point, I can’t just go on not knowing what the hell is about to happen to my livelihood. YA FEEL ME?

I kinda wish I was ending this post a little more confident about my career. I wish I could tell you all it’s gonna be okay, nothing to worry about. Sorry, but that’s not the case. I am definitely concerned, but feeling better that I am now concerned AND educated.

If your work involves the internet, which is pretty much everyone, this post is an important read. I break it down for you like a dummies guide to Net Neutrality. Easy to read & easy to understand so you can leave feeling like you know your shit, & are prepared for whatever’s gonna happen next.

Net Neutrality: Everything You Need To Know

What Is Net Neutrality?

Basically, it’s your internet freedom. All sites are created equal. The little guys can get just as much traffic/search results/& speed as the big guys

If you’re still not getting it, think of it like this: you found a blogger you like whose site is still pretty fresh. You can access that site daily. It’s fast, it’s free, & the content is killer. Once the removal of Net Neutrality starts to happen, that site is gonna suffer & so are you.

The new blogger with great content, no matter how good the SEO, will be pretty hard if not impossible to find through searching. There is also potential new blogger’s site will slow down. New blogger will have to pay a price for these “privileges”. As for you, well… you may have to pay up just to visit your new favorite blog as well (on top of what you’re ALREADY paying for internet!).

At the end of the day, it’s gives your ISP the ability to pick favorites, & that’s a real bummer.

How Net Neutrality Works

Imagine if the internet were a multi-lane freeway. You can’t pay more to get in some special fast lane where you can get where you’re going beore anyone else (minus toll roads, but just ignore those for the sake of this scenario!). That’s Net Neutrality- the concept that all content on the internet is NEUTRAL.

Obama put Net Neutrality in motion as a way to help innovators & small business thrive. Taking away Net Neutrality means those small business/innovators/& yes- BLOGGERS will be facing some serious internet hardships.

Net Neutrality Pros | Arguments For Net Neutrality

in case it’s not yet clear to you, I am 100% one of MANY net neutrality supporters.

+ OPEN INTERNET is a human right.

+ Internet will never be the same. Ever had a TV that was missing channels cause your cable provider sucked? That’s the new internet experience. Missing channels, shitty internet.

+ People & groups will be silenced. For example: activists took the internet by storm to protest against Net Neutrality with a goal to overturn the FCC’s vote against it. They connected all over the world & came together to try & stop this. If the repeal was already in place, the protestors & activists would have likely been blocked from spreading the word.

+ The small guys will suffer, & it will halt innovation. Small business, bloggers, startups, etc. need open internet to get their service, product, or content out there.

Net Neutrality Cons | Arguments Against Net Neutrality

although I don’t agree, gotta give both sides, to be fair…

+ protects average internet users from those who are hogging the internet- giving everyone an optimal experience.

+ prevents illegal internet use (i.e. illegal file sharing).

+ some situations need better internet, & will get it (i.e. hospitals).

+ Net Neutrality will end up costing more by limiting investment & decreasing competition.

Companies For & Against Net Neutrality

ANTI NET NEUTRALITY: Verizon, AT&T, Comcast, Time Warner, AOL, Microsoft, DISH, Charter, Cisco, etc. Pretty much every single Internet Service Provider (cause they want that money).

PRO NET NEUTRALITY: Netflix, Mozilla, Twitter, Google (maybe, they are being pretty silent but made one statement insisting they were upset about the repeal), Reddit, Facebook, AirBNB.

See some of these companies statements HERE.

The FCC’s Ruling On Net Neutrality

& they did just that, the FCC’s vote was to repeal Net Neutrality & the internet lost it’s shit. Not much else to say here, but just clearing it up… it happened. The FCC is officially repealing Net Neutrality rules.

& the BURNING QUESTION is: what the hell should we expect? 

What this mean for blogger’s?

Well, a lot of this is a “time will tell” situation, but don’t start freaking out just yet because nothing is happening overnight.

ISP’s are trying to calm people down saying they will not block or throttle anyone’s internet, but after all my research- I am finding that hard to believe.

It doesn’t say anywhere about what size sites are safe, but compared to the big dogs, blogger’s could end up as collateral damage. Your ISP is gonna favor who paid, so instead of sending you to MY site to read about (just an example) blogging tips, they will send you to ever the highest bidder is. Even if that highest bidder is (just an example) Yahoo & the article was written by some intern who doesn’t have a blog. JUST SAYIN’.

There is a little silver lining here- the Congress still has the ability to reverse the FCC’s ruling & this issue is looking like it’s headed to the courts. Sadly, as individuals, we are not able to do much considering majority of American citizens were strongly against the repeal of Net Neutrality.

I do suggest, although again it’s up to Congess & constituents, that you sign this petition & reach out to congress to fight for the future of our internet.