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Amazon, Netflix, Reddit, And More Join Forces Today To Call For Net Neutrality Protections

They're protesting to resist possible reversals of net neutrality policy.

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Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission announced its intention to reassess net neutrality protections put in place back in 2015. Today, websites, tech companies, and activist groups, both large and small, have come together to protest the FCC's possible policy change and to call for retaining net neutrality.

The net neutrality day of action is headlined by some of the biggest companies in the world: Google, Twitter, Netflix, and Reddit are among the thousands of sites that are protesting today. If you visit Reddit, for example, you'll see an extremely slow-scrolling message appear. This is meant to represent the fact that, if net neutrality is overturned, internet service providers will have the ability to throttle particular websites.

The founder of the worldwide web, Tim Berners-Lee, released a video of his own views on the importance of protecting net neutrality. You can watch his statement above.

Net neutrality is currently enforced by the FCC, and it requires that internet service providers treat all websites and services identically. If it was not for this policy, ISPs could charge customers more for higher-speed access to specific services like Netflix.

An elimination of net neutrality rules could make it possible for ISPs to charge different prices for gaming services like Steam, PlayStation Network, or Xbox Live. In the past, developers such as Lorne Lanning, the creator of the Oddworld series, have spoken out in support of net neutrality.

You can read more about the day of action, including the list of websites participating, over at the website of Fight for the Future, a pro-net neutrality activist group that helped organize the movement.

If you want to submit your thoughts to the FCC regarding net neutrality, you can go to the FCC's site and click "express" to leave a comment.

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