Robin Harper

Stop Phone/Cable Company Double-dipping!

Net Neutrality is essential to free speech, equal opportunity and economic innovation in America. Since the FCC removed this basic protection in 2005, the top executives of phone and cable companies have stated their intention to become the Internet's gatekeepers and to discriminate against Web sites that don't pay their added tolls. People like myself, whose hobby is writing and sharing my work: for my son and daughter-in-law, who use their website to share photos and updates on their baby with the entire family. We're already paying for access to the internet, there is no way we could afford to pay added 'tolls'. To me, that is charging twice for the same service. I was under the impression that 'double-dipping' wasn't allowed!

This fundamental change would end the open Internet as we know it. It would damage my ability to connect with others, share information and participate in our 21st century democracy and economy. The FCC must ensure that broadband providers do not block, interfere with or discriminate against any lawful Internet traffic based on its ownership, source or destination. Don't let the phone and cable companies choke the very life out of the internet...until it becomes nothing more than an expensive 'classified ads'...with all of the individuals who make up the cyberworld, and make it fun and interesting, gone because they can't afford to double pay for the internet.