Dear FCC:   

Allowing broadband providers to provide preferential treatment to content providers, whether through pay-to-play or through back room deals, directly conflicts with existing Common Carrier laws and practices. I'm writing today in SUPPORT of Net Neutrality, which is important to me for three main reasons.  
 
1. There are already only a handful of internet providers in any given community at present. Giving them control of the content and allowing them to manipulate data for profit leads to a slippery slope of limiting Free Speech, controlling the media and what content gets consumed (and by whom), as well as giving unfair competitive advantage to large corporations over small businesses. As someone who currently works for a small family business, this last point is of grave concern to me.

2. As with stifling business competition, controlling the content via data manipulation will also greatly impact our local, state, and national elections. This will be incredibly dangerous to our democracy.

3. Our current internet infrastructure is incredibly weak compared to those available in other nations. In particular, bandwidth speeds available to the average American household are already laughably slow. Allowing providers to slow down content even more and otherwise manipulate data and content can lead to a hampering of internet usage related to business or educational pursuits (not to mention, personal use, whether for entertainment or other needs). Most Americans will not have the means to switch providers, even if alternate providers are available in their area. 

It is for these reasons that I submit my comments to you in SUPPORT of Net Neutrality. Thank you for your attention.

Michelle Williams
Gloucester, MA