Let’s start by tackling a question I’m sure some of you are asking: What is Net Neutrality? Sure, it’s a hot button topic as of late, but that doesn’t mean everyone has a firm grasp on what it is, and what it means for people to have it. From Wikipedia:
Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or method of communication. For instance, under these principles, internet service providers are unable to intentionally block, slow down or charge money for specific websites and online content.
Recently, the United States of America waved goodbye to net neutrality. While there is still a chance to save it, it is a very real threat to the country at large. With the end of net neutrality, we will see a rise in censorship, and a decline in access to online content and information. Check out the #netneutrality hashtag on Twitter to see just how angering this is.
What the end of net neutrality means for the independent online adult entertainment industry:
A significant drop in business for industry workers, and a significant drop in content quality and availability for buyers.
Small businesses, including independent online adult entertainers, can’t afford to pay the inevitable fees Internet Service Providers will charge to not throttle buyers’ connections when they visit our sites. Depending on the stance of certain ISPs, we may even be outright blocked from being accessed by our clients. With shitty connections deterring some buyers, and blocks keeping us hidden from others, we may very well need to leave our businesses behind for new careers in order to survive.
Additional resources:
Save Net Neutrality!
Battle For the Net
(site includes a whole lot more resources, too)
I am editing this post to include the info/links provided by /u/mailmygovNNBot on Reddit below:
Write to your Government Representatives about Net neutrality
(The brand new) MailMyGov was founded on the idea that a real letter is more effective then a cookie cutter email. MailMyGov lets you send real physical letters to your government reps. We can help you find all your leaders:
• federal (White house, House of Representatives, Supreme Court, FCC & more)
• state (U.S. Senate, Governors, Treasurers, Attorney General, Controllers & more)
• county (Sheriffs, Assessors, District Attorney & more)
• and city representatives (Mayors, City Council & more)
…using just your address and send a real snail mail letter without leaving your browser.
https://www.mailmygov.com
Other things you can do to help:
You can visit these sites to obtain information on issues currently being debated in the United States:
• https://votesmart.org/
• https://www.govtrack.us/
• https://www.aclu.org/
• https://petitions.whitehouse.gov
• (suggest more sites here? msg this bot please with un-biased, non-partisan factual sources only!)
• Donate to political advocacy
• Set up your favorite political activist orgs as you charity on Amazon Smile
Other websites that help to find your government representatives:
• http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
• https://whoaremyrepresentatives.org/
• https://www.govtrack.us/
• https://resistbot.io/
• https://democracy.io/#!/ (will send an email on your behalf to your senators.)
• https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
• https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state
Most importantly, PLEASE MAKE AN INFORMED VOTE DURING YOUR NEXT ELECTION.