I keep seeing people posting images in support of net neutrality, but beyond making people more aware that big money interests are trying to create fast and slow lanes on the internet, those images don’t do much to stop it from happening.
What can you, as a lone private citizen, do to protect net neutrality? The answer is surprisingly easy. You can tell the FCC that you want net neutrality. Courtesy of my friend Lucy Pick, here are the simple instructions for doing that.
1. Visit the FCC’s website here: http://fcc.gov/comments
2. Look for Proceeding 14-28
3. Enter your personal information. Yes, you will need to speak up as a citizen, and that means the FCC wants your name and address. Don’t be more scared than you are any other time you divulge this to the federal government.
4. In the comments section write, “I want internet service providers classified as common carriers.”
You can write other things as well, but the most important thing is to indicate that you want internet service providers to be considered common carriers. If that happens, internet service providers, like other companies which transport goods, would be prohibited from discriminating against customers based on what goods they want transported.
That would mean lowly bloggers have the right to expect the same service as big name companies. It’s essentially what we have now, and what we’re in danger of losing. Additionally, it would make it harder for disapproving providers to silence unpopular opinions. We never think about this until our opinion becomes unpopular.
So, if you’ve seen all these posts about net neutrality, but you weren’t sure what to do, now you do. It will take you less time than reading this post did.
Bryn Greenwood 
Thank you! I saw the Word Press suggestion and thought how ineffective it was. This is why I follow you!! I immediately followed your clear instructions and had my voice heard.
Thanks for doing your part!
Thanks for sure! Sharing!
Thanks, Lauri!
[…] Going big guns on Net Neutrality. […]
Done. 🙂
I’ve noticed now that WordPress has changed its original protest icon, which effectively made your blog unreadable, to a little pop-up tab on the side. Still, you are right. Why just protest among your readers when writing a comment at the FCC’s website would make a more powerful statement?
I’ve heard that the comments are overwhelmingly against creating a “fast lane” for ISPs and other corporate internet users. If the FCC ignores them, it will be a very sad comment on how democratic our government really is.
I will not be surprised to be ignored, as I already have my doubts about how thin our “democracy” is.
Reblogged this on Move for Change and the Brooklyn Culture Jam and commented:
From Bryn Greenwood–if you’re not paying attention, the short version of the story is that the end of net neutrality is a bad, bad thing. Here’s an article on registering a protest with the FCC. If you’re a reasonable social conscious person, let’em have your name–they have it anyway–and let them know that the status quo is fine by you.
Reblogging, thanks.
Thanks for getting the word out there.
done, done, and done.
(how come I have to re-sign in all the time from yr blooger? And then it crashes. Here goes, trying for #3….)
I dunno. I am frequently engaged in combat with the comments for people’s blogs. I hate when I get worn down and give up.
Reblogged this on TechsWrite: The Helpful Techie and commented:
Things are quiet here at TechsWrite, but if you’ve been reading, you know that Net Neutrality is very important to me. Bryn Greenwood has provided a direct link to petition the FCC on an ongoing proceeding (14-28, Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet) as well as instructions on how to formally file your thoughts on it. This is the very best advice I’ve seen so far to be involved in the campaign for Net Neutrality. (Thanks, Bryn.)