Twitch Joins Net Neutrality Day of Action in Support of an Open Internet

Gamers popping open Twitch today to stream or check out their favorite Twitch personalities doing their thing will be greeted with a special message at the top of the page: “Stop Net Neutrality rules from being repealed!” But what’s that all about, anyway?

It’s all part of a “day of action” that’s going on right now in support of net neutrality. Your favorite sites are all in on the action, including Google, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Spotify and more, and if you like the internet just the way it is, you’ll want to get in on it as well.

These organizations are standing in solidarity in support of net neutrality rules with just five days until the cutoff for comments from consumers regarding the FCC’S plan to go back on the very rules that have protected us from so-called internet “fast lanes” and other frustrating business practices that could be a very real thing in the future.

In a nutshell, the FCC is looking to get rid of the protectings that keep the internet “open,” such as things providers can do to slow down your internet, block certain sites or services, or worse. The organizations working to speak out against the repeal of these actions have implemented annoying alerts meant to shock you into voicing your displeasure. There are banner ads asking you to “upgrade” or advising that the site has been “blocked.” They’re not too far from what could actually happen — that’s the chilling part.

Twitch may be one of the most notable supporters of net neutrality rules for gamers today, as it has replaced all global emotes with a frustrating spinning wheel for the next 24 hours.

This is an extremely important cause that several organizations are showing their support for, so when you see those spinning wheels or frustrating messages, you might want to take a moment to let the FCC know how you feel about the matter.

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