New York Post

Sites vow to fight change in ‘neutrality’

- By CARLETON ENGLISH

Your favorite Web site on Wednesday may seem a little different — and more annoying — as tech companies protest the Trump administra­tion’s proposal to weaken net neutrality rules.

Netflix said its site will feature something “noticeable” in a bid to inspire customers to take action to preserve net neutrality, which compels internet service providers to give equal access to all Web content regardless of its source.

The video streaming site is one of more than 200 popular internet companies — including Amazon, Facebook, Reddit and PornHub — that have pledged to participat­e in Wednesday’s day of action against the Federal Communicat­ions Commission’s effort to erode Obama-era net neutrality regulation­s.

Some sites will feature banner ads to direct customers to file a complaint with the FCC. Others may take more drastic measures like slowing down — or throttling — their sites to show what an unregulate­d world may look like.

PornHub and Amazon reps did not respond to requests to comment on how their sites will perform.

In 2015, the Obama administra­tion enacted rules that the internet should be regulated like a public utility.

Supporters of net neutrality fear that in a deregulate­d world, cable companies will be able to charge more or slow down speeds for certain content, making the internet less fair.

But in April newly appointed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai called the Obamaera regs “heavy-handed.”

In May, the FCC published the “Restoring Internet Freedom” proposal, which would aims to undo the 2015 rules. The comment period deadline is July 17. cenglish@nypost.com

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