We strongly support the framework on net neutrality rules currently before the Federal Communications Commission, including the use of Title II to put the new rules on solid legal footing.
We’re built on open source software, open data, and open standards, but all this work depends on an open Internet. We’ve built global infrastructure to serve beautiful maps insanely fast, but it only works if Internet users everywhere can reliably get to our servers.
Like most startups, we have some big competitors. If cable companies and telcos are allowed to become gatekeepers online, the big established players will win and disruptive challengers like us will lose, every time. This clarification is important; recently one of the FCC Commissioners seriously confused this issue:
Fourth, President Obama’s plan to regulate the Internet will hurt competition and innovation and move us toward a broadband monopoly. The plan saddles small, independent businesses and entrepreneurs with heavy-handed regulations that will push them out of the market.
February 6, 2015 STATEMENT OF FCC COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI ON PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PLAN TO REGULATE THE INTERNET
This is simply not true. Please tweet about how startups support real Net Neutrality and sign the petition: “Yes, my startup supports net neutrality!”.
This isn’t just a Silicon Valley issue, or a Washington, DC issue - this is about the strength of our core economy and true freedom of information, and next week’s vote is vital to every startup.