The Internet owes much of its success to openness: its open, shared structure has made it easy for everyone to build, surf, and thrive on it. But a few big companies are closing in, closing doors, and creating walled gardens that concentrate their ownership and control of the Web. Together, we can fight to make sure no one limits our Internet access, experience, or creation. A healthy Internet belongs to you.
No one should be able to restrict our access to the Web for their own gain.
We rely on network providers – telcos and cable companies – for access to the Internet. Which puts them in a position to restrict that access for their own business objectives, favoring their own products, blocking sites or brands, or charging different prices and offering different speeds depending on content type. Net neutrality prohibits network providers from discriminating based on content, so everyone has equal access.
The fight for net neutrality continues all over the world. The rules that have been adopted in the US and Europe need to be defended and enforced. Reach out to your government official wherever you live, and express your support.
Working directly with legislative bodies to craft policy frameworks for and meaningful enforcement of net neutrality in the United States, Europe, India, and all over the world.
Fostering a global community of passionate Internet users who share our vision.
The Web should remain open and interoperable, so we can keep our experience consistent, transparent, and full of possibility.
Interoperability is a big word with a simple result: your Web experience is basically the same across browsers, hardware, and operating systems because it was designed that way – and built with the open standards to support it. Open standards also allow anyone to invent new ways to make your Web experience better. But interoperability is losing ground to closed systems – and we’re losing transparency, participation, and innovation along with it.
Innovation can still come from anywhere – especially if we support it. Try out apps and products from companies you don’t already know.
Working with and even leading open standards bodies, like IETF and W3C.
Building interoperability into our own products, and empowering web developers through initiatives like the Mozilla Developer Network.
The Internet should continue to foster healthy competition among companies, opportunity for entrepreneurs, and meaningful choices for users.
A personalized Internet is an exciting prospect. But more and more, that means opting into a single company’s ecosystem – which streamlines your experience right now, but may seriously limit your choices in the future. Competitors will be reduced to those few companies who can offer the whole enchilada, thus consolidating the power of existing tech giants and making it much harder for entrepreneurs to disrupt the market with great ideas.
Make sure you understand the tradeoffs of that seamless online experience before you opt into a single ecosystem. Support the companies and services that best reflect your needs – and your values.
Advocating for net neutrality, copyright reform, and other issues all over the world.
Building with open standards and open source in our own products, and supporting openness at every opportunity.
We should all be able to contribute to the Web, so it reflects and serves all of its users.
Today 3 billion people all over the world use the Internet to learn, work, play, and connect. But not everyone is able to contribute to it equally. Which means the Web doesn’t reflect the full diversity of its users, doesn’t work as well for some people as others, and can even marginalize certain communities and individuals.
Try your hand at creating Web content you care about, in your language. Thimble is a great way to start.
Providing the tools and teaching to foster the next generation of Web creators.
Providing the blueprint for localization, so Web content can be made relevant for people in different languages and locales.
Read on about Decentralization in our Internet Health Report.