FYI, Luca Valente *Net Neutrality and its Impact on the Nonprofit Community * Posted by Insights Contributor May 11, 2010 http://smartblogs.com/insights/2010/05/11/net-neutrality-and-its-impact-on-t... *-- Shelly Alcorn, CAE, is a thought-leader, speaker and association management consultant. Reach her on twitter @shellyalcorn,<http://twitter.com/shellyalcorn> on LinkedIn <http://www.linkedin.com/in/shellyalcorn> or at the Association Subculture blog <http://www.associationsubcultureblog.com/>. * Your association’s strategic mission won’t mean a thing if you can’t use the internet to get it to your members. Can’t use the internet? Whaaaaa’? Don’t believe me? Listen to the Chairman of the FCC - Julius Genachowski and his recent comments <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUjkjQ31zSM>regarding open access, how important it is and why it is under attack. Then – sign this petition to the FCC from the Nonprofit Community<https://secure.freepress.net/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=44...> . I’ve been following net neutrality for a long time. It’s not a new issue. Back in 2006 the Daily Show did a classic bit with Jon Hodgman<http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-19-2006/net-neutrality-act> that is still good for a chuckle albeit a nervous one when contemplating what it really means. Here is the gist. Right now, internet providers provide access to the internet. Overall access speed has continued to increase with the advent of T1, cable, etc. What telecommunications companies have been unable to do so far is control the speed in which all things travel on the internet — they only control how fast you can get to it. So, if you have a slow connection, your internet is slow. But ALL sites you visit are slow. If you have a fast connection, your internet is fast. But ALL sites you visit are fast. Here are two instructional videos from YouTube to watch that will explain the issue far better than I can – Net Neutrality<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jHOn0EW8U&playnext_from=TL&videos=o-3na6-uu...> and – What IS Net Neutrality<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L11kLmWha6o&playnext_from=TL&videos=aIKHZ9np7...> ? This is why this matters so much: Nonprofits, particularly those who engage in political activity, stand to lose their ability to use the internet effectively for advocacy. Not only is it an issue of speed alone, but corporate interests would have the ability to effectively censor those associations who took positions on issues they disagreed with. Verizon ran into trouble in 2007 when it tried to prevent NARAL from sending text messages <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/business/27cnd-verizon.html> to their own members on women’s reproductive rights. What if that behavior became institutionalized? If the nonprofit community passively accepts the demise of net neutrality, they will potentially suffer untenable consequences. Smaller associations probably can’t print 10,000 yard signs, but they can get involved in online communication efforts. But not if they can’t get to the sites they need to get to. On April 6, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Comcast and against the Federal Communications Commission. Read about the decision here<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/06/AR2010040600...> . The FCC only has a few options to act: - Do nothing. - Wait for Congress to act. - Reclassify broadband services so they fall squarely within the regulatory structure. Although Chairman Genachowski has expressed support for net neutrality contradictory news reports have been swirling this week. Earlier in the week news reports seemed to indicate the FCC was abandoning net neutrality. The uproar from activists was vociferous and as recently as yesterday, May 5, 2010 the Wall Street Journal reported the FCC will, indeed, push forward with reclassification<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703961104575226583645448758.ht...>. In spite of that good news, the battle isn’t over yet and the situation remains fluid. What can you do as a nonprofit trade and professional association? Keep this issue in the forefront of your communications agenda, take action and stay informed. 1) Send a message to Chairman Julius Genachowski of the FCC<http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/genachowski/> in support of net neutrality 2) Visit www.savetheinternet.com 3) Visit www.nten.org 3) Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation<http://www.eff.org/issues/net-neutrality> My thanks to NTEN <http://www.nten.org/> for recently hosting open, no charge conference calls on this issue. There are some really smart, really dedicated folks working on this issue. When I hear about activities, I will tweet them so feel free to follow me @shellyalcorn<http://twitter.com/shellyalcorn> . Nonprofits have a lot to lose if net neutrality is not protected. Please. Engage. Now. = = = = = Timothy Karr Campaign Director Free Press :: www.freepress.net SavetheInternet.com :: www.savetheinternet.com Follow :: www.twitter.com/TimKarr 201.533.8838 reform media. transform democracy.