People visiting Reddit, Netflix, Digg, Vimeo and other popular sites on Wednesday might notice a familiar (and frustrating) symbol when logging on: the "spinning wheel of death." The websites are not actually running slowly; instead, the buffering symbol is being displayed in support of net neutrality. The goal of "Internet Slowdown Day" is to get people to weigh in on the hot-button web issue before an extended public comment period ends on Sept. 15. New regulations from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could let broadband companies charge sites for access to a "fast lane" of service, which net neutrality supporters say would create a tiered Internet benefiting companies with deep pockets. More than a million comments have been submitted by the public so far, but Battle for the Net, the group behind Internet Slowdown Day, are hoping to get one last publicity push for its cause before the FCC begins the next step of its decision-making process.
IN-DEPTH
- Why Start-Ups Are Also Against the FCC's Net Neutrality Proposal
- Is Internet Access a Public Utility, Like Water or Gas?
- What Everyone Gets Wrong in the Debate Over Net Neutrality (Wired)