The ‘Internet Slowdown’ protest for net neutrality needs to target regulators | Dan Gillmor

Websites are loading slowly today to show what a future without net neutrality looks like. But perhaps a targeted slowdown is in order

• Why is my internet slow today?

In a not-so-distant future, American internet service providers like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, AT&T and Verizon could – if the Federal Communications Commissions allows – pick and choose what you can see on the internet and how fast you can see it. In fact, Netflix is already paying tolls to Verizon and Comcast to keep them from deliberately slowing down your movie streams, and Tom Wheeler, the former cable and wireless industry lobbyist turned FCC chair, has said he thinks that’s only right and proper.

You can count on much more ISP interference with your choices and mine unless we have net neutrality. And to reinforce that point, several large websites and a host of smaller ones are attempting to “cover the web” on Wednesday with icons showing a “Loading ...” message as part of a symbolic “Internet Slowdown”.