Domainers are a strange bunch: unless someone yells “fire!” in our ear, we don’t mobilize to respond to the ever-growing number of dangers that are lurking in the domain community.
Perhaps because many so-called domainers are part timers, or because they think their investments are safe, response is uncoordinated and weak.
The issue of Net Neutrality isn’t yet another buzzword, it’s like a 1,000 lbs boulder hanging from a thread above our collective heads.
It’s not complicated to understand the consequences of a lack of Net Neutrality, and attorney Jason Schaeffer has done a remarkable job covering the news and updates, repeatedly and extensively.
But we’ll put it in some simple words, for all domainers to understand.
If we do not support and maintain Net Neutrality, then the big boys will squash our business. Google, Facebook, along with Comcast and other content providers and carriers, will set the new rules of the game.
These new rules will dictate that in order to be seen, reached, visited and engaged in business over the Internet, our online stores, web sites and domain names will have to pay a premium.
It’s like a toll fee: to use the highway, we’d have to provide our customers with a speed pass to take the fast lanes, instead of a back road through zigs and zags and twists and turns over a longer, slower digital route.
We’ve known for years that mega-mergers aren’t good for the economy, or the consumers. Comcast acquiring Time Warner Cable is the beginning of a toll-laden Internet, that imposes traffic limits, and speed limits.
Our business is globally reached, and relies on connectivity, availability, and speed.
Whether we are domainers, or jewelry makers, artists, musicians or writers, anything that we produce and share online will be affected – unless Net Neutrality, the equality of access without limitations to the type of destination, is protected by law.
Support Net Neutrality – it’s not another buzzword, it’s your livelihood.
