Rollback of Net Neutrality Has Small Businesses Worried
A proposal on Tuesday by the Federal Communications Commission would undo so-called net neutrality rules
that barred high-speed internet service providers from adjusting website delivery speeds and charging customers extra for access.
In a blog post on Tuesday, Comcast’s chief executive, David N. Watson, wrote
that his company “does not and will not block, throttle, or discriminate against lawful content.”
Internet service providers say that the proposal would lead to a better variety of services for online customers and more innovation in the industry.
Nearly a quarter of American adults made money last year using digital platforms to take on a job or a task, selling something
online or renting out their properties using a home-sharing site like Airbnb, according to the Pew Research Center
Without those regulations, GoodLight and other smaller businesses fear they may not have a level digital
playing field to compete against deep-pocketed industry giants that could pay to get an edge online.
Many entrepreneurs worried that, without net neutrality provisions, internet providers
would wield their increased power to control how businesses reach consumers.
Internet giants like Google and Amazon say that net neutrality preserves free speech; telecom titans like AT&T and Verizon warn
that the existing rules put a chokehold on free-market commerce.
