Losing net neutrality is a loss for small businesses

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https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/abrams/2018/05/30/small-business-lose-if-net-neutrality-goes-away/653679002/

Rhonda Abrams, Special for USA TODAY

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What was all the fuss about? Small businesses were trying to help save open and equal access to the Internet. The Senate, in a bipartisan vote, tried to do its bit to save what is known as “net neutrality.” But, alas, the Internet as you knew it may die as soon as early June.

Do I sound alarmist? Well, bear with me. It’s because living in the heart of Silicon Valley but working with small businesses from coast to coast, I have a pretty good grasp of just how important an open, equal Internet is to small businesses and startups all over this country. You may think this is just a “techy” issue. But it’s not.

Net neutrality means companies that comprise the backbone of the Internet — Internet Service Providers, or ISPS — must treat all data all the same. They can’t make deals with big companies to create a “fast lane,” where their data gets sent faster than other companies'. They can’t throttle a competitor’s data. Imagine if the electric company could choose to provide better electrical service to companies that paid them a hefty fee and spotty electricity to those that don’t. It would stifle competition from smaller companies and innovative entrepreneurs. That’s what the repeal of net neutrality is going to allow.

That’s why, about a quarter of small businesses say that net neutrality is very important to their business and just about half say it is important, in a new survey conducted by the group Small Business Majority.

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1. Everyone know the very rich harvest smaller business in hedge funds or private equity.

How are the very rich supposed to make an 8% return if there are not a whole bunch of small businesses that cannot grow unless they sell to a big guy. Why if they were on a fair internet they might just grow themselves. And that would be bad for the very rich. As always, gumming up the system and pulling up the ladder behind themselves.