OpenMedia hosts international platform for massive Internet Slowdown Day to show what Internet would be like if we lost net neutrality rules

Digital rights group OpenMedia is joining with Netflix, reddit, Vimeo, and a huge international coalition to support Internet Slowdown Day. Dozens of major websites have agreed to show their users a perpetual ‘loading’ icon, to symbolize how the loss of net neutrality rules could slow many favourite websites to a crawl. To support the day of action, OpenMedia is hosting an action platform at http://StopTheSlowdown.net and encouraging websites to embed the web action widget found here: https://openmedia.org/bigtelecomvstheworld/resources#widget The move comes against the backdrop of a crucial U.S. FCC hearing which could decide the future of net neutrality in the U.S. Large telecom conglomerates are pushing the FCC to do away with net neutrality, a move that would have major implications for Internet users around the world. Earlier this week, OpenMedia joined with over 60 organizations from over 25 nations to launch Big Telecom -v- The World, a week of action aimed at sounding a loud global call in defence of net neutrality. Over 120,000 people from 179 countries have signed on to the campaign in just 24 hours, making it OpenMedia’s most successful campaign launch of 2014.

September 10, 2014– Digital rights group OpenMedia is joining with Netflix, reddit, Vimeo, and a huge international coalition to support Internet Slowdown Day. Dozens of major websites have agreed to show their users a perpetual ‘loading’ icon, to symbolize how the loss of net neutrality rules could slow many favourite websites to a crawl. To support the day of action, OpenMedia is hosting an action platform at http://StopTheSlowdown.net and encouraging websites to embed the web action widget found here: https://openmedia.org/bigtelecomvstheworld/resources#widget

The move comes against the backdrop of a crucial U.S. FCC hearing which could decide the future of net neutrality in the U.S. Large telecom conglomerates are pushing the FCC to do away with net neutrality, a move that would have major implications for Internet users around the world. Earlier this week, OpenMedia joined with over 60 organizations from over 25 nations to launch Big Telecom -v- The World, a week of action aimed at sounding a loud global call in defence of net neutrality. Over 120,000 people from 179 countries have signed on to the campaign in just 24 hours, making it OpenMedia’s most successful campaign launch of 2014.

“Our small team has been inspired to see so many Internet users from right across the planet speak out to defend net neutrality,” says OpenMedia.ca Executive Director Steve Anderson. “Now we’re planning to take the next step, and join with reddit, Netflix, and dozens of top websites to support Internet Slowdown Day. If the large telecom conglomerates get their way, people’s favourite websites could slow to a crawl, and the Internet could end up looking a lot more like cable TV. That’s why it’s so important to sound a loud global call that decision-makers won’t be able to ignore.”

Experts are already warning that Internet users everywhere will face serious consequences if the FCC undermines net neutrality. Award-winning author and open Internet advocate Cory Doctorow said: "The cable companies and telecoms operators are multinational, global, and ruthless. There's only one Internet, and when greedy companies and captured regulators break it in one country, they weaken it across the planet. This is everybody's fight, and with Big Telecom vs the World -- initiated by the excellent Canadian activist group OpenMedia -- there's a tent big enough for all of us to fit in."

Internet users are standing together to defend net neutrality around the world at http://StopTheSlowdown.net

About OpenMedia.org

OpenMedia.org is an award-winning community-based organization that safeguards the possibilities of the open Internet. We work toward informed and participatory digital policy by engaging hundreds of thousands of people in protecting our online rights.

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Contact

David Christopher

Communications Manager, OpenMedia

1-778-232-1858

[email protected]

About the Big Telecom -v- The World week of action

The Big Telecom -v- The World week of action includes a resource-packed campaign website, an extensive social media campaign, and information on how people can connect with campaigns on the ground in countries around the world. Internet users are also invited to host their own net neutrality teach-in using Mozilla’s Maker Party Kit.  

Groups supporting the international campaign include: Affinity Bridge, Arab Digital Expression Foundation, Backbone Campaign, BitTorrent, BlobgExpression, Boing Boing, Briteweb, Centre for Law and Democracy, Cheezburger, ColorOfChange, Consumer NZ, Council of Canadians, Credo, cStreet Campaigns, Daily Kos, Daily Sangbad, Diritti Digitali, Electronic Frontiers Australia, Ethics and Health Foundation, Fark, Fleurieu Communications, Fundación Karisma, Fundación Vía Libre, Gen Why Media, Green Laurels, Greenpeace International, Greenpeace U.S., GrowthLogic Inc., Hiperderecho, IBIDEM - Instituto Beta para Internet e Democracia, I-Vission (Cameroon), Iraqi Network for Social Media, IT for Change, Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet, Louder, May First/People Link, Microzip Data Solutions Inc., Million Monarchs, Movimento Mega, Other98, Popular Resistance, Public Knowledge, rabble.ca, reddit, Roots Action, SumOfUs, Top 21 Systemhaus GmbH, ThoughtWorks, Thunderclap, TunnelBear, Urban Integration Working Group, Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press.

People everywhere are speaking up to defend net neutrality and the Open Internet at https://BigTelecomVsTheWorld.org

More Information

• Net Neutrality, Monopoly, and the Death of the Democratic Internet. Source: Motherboard

• FCC's new net neutrality rules opposed by 100+ internet companies (update: vote still on schedule). Source: Engadget.

• Internet traffic from around the globe passes through U.S. servers, peering, and content delivery networks. As a result, it’s likely that web traffic from outside the U.S. could get caught in the slow lane. Source: Motherboard.

• Protesters set up camp at net neutrality rally outside FCC headquarters. Source: The Guardian.

• OpenMedia fought for and won Canadian Open Internet rules that should prevent Big Telecom discriminating against competing services. We even flew in some of the original architects of the Internet to the CRTC hearing.

• CRTC report shows Internet openness complaints went up in 2012 - see this media advisory.

• OpenMedia.ca’s crowdsourced Casting an Open Net Plan calls for net neutrality audits and penalties for companies in breach of net neutrality.

• CRTC will rescind ‘unlimited use’ Internet decision – or Ottawa will overturn it. Source: The Globe and Mail

• OpenMedia.ca: Regulators pull back from usage-based billing after half-a-million Canadians speak out

• "If using the Rogers 3G or LTE network, for only $5/month, customers can enjoy 10 hours of viewing on their device" (This means non-Rogers content is unfairly more expensive than Rogers-owned content.) Source: Google Play