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-the-nonprofit-community/
-- Shelly Alcorn, CAE, is a
thought-leader, speaker and association management consultant. Reach her
on twitter @shellyalcorn, on LinkedIn or
at the Association
Subculture blog.
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 regarding open access, how important it
is and why it is under attack. Then – sign this petition to the FCC from the Nonprofit Community .
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 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 and – What
IS Net Neutrality?
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 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 .
The FCC only has a few options to act:
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. 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 in support of net neutrality
2) Visit www.savetheinternet.com
3) Visit www.nten.org
3) Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundation
My thanks to NTEN 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.
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.