I own and operate a small dog day care and pet boarding facility, all by myself. I don’t have a lot of cash flow, and traditional advertising media just do not work in this business. I have found only two things that work to gain new business: word of mouth, and presence on the internet.
If Verizon, for example, who already has a stranglehold on telephone service in my state, was able to control what web sites are seen easily by the public by charging fees (which amounts to extortion), I would lose additional income for the mere ability for others to find my business on the net, if I paid such fees. If I didn’t pay, then no one would ever hear of my business, and I would lose my business, my income, my home…it all dominoes from there.
I don’t live in a state that’s exactly tax-friendly to residents or small business, and to have telecommunications giants able to charge Mafia-style “protection money” would not only violate the very principles of free and open speech, but would add a financial burden that small guys like me could ill afford.
Thank you for listening.