MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) – Internet giants Netflix and Reddit have joined an "internet slowdown" protest against the proposed regulations of the US Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) that would undermine net neutrality.
"It's always hard to explain complicated topics to a lot of people, and the FCC made it harder by trying to fool the public into thinking their proposal was real net neutrality, when it was actually what the cable and phone lobbyists always asked for", protest organizer David Segal, executive director of civil liberties group Demand Progress and a former Rhode Island state representative, was quoted as saying by CNN on Tuesday.
Net neutrality relates to the assumption that all types of Web content should receive equal treatment by high-speed internet companies.
Top internet companies, including Netflix, Reddit, Vimeo, Etsy, Upworthy and Digg have joined the campaign and spin the symbol of "loading" on their websites so as to warn the public of potential connection delays.
In May the FCC proposed giving broadband providers the right to charge Amazon, Netflix and other internet giants "for prioritized access to consumers".
A separate website, battleforthenet.com, has been established to draw the public's attention to the problem.
"Cable companies want to slow down (and break!) your favorite sites, for profit", reads the notice on battleforthenet.com. "To fight back, let"s cover the web with symbolic "loading" icons, to remind everyone what an Internet without net neutrality would look like, and drive record numbers of emails and calls to lawmakers. Are you in?"
