The fact that this article even exists, whether you're reading it on your phone or on your grandparents' hilariously oversized desktop, is a testament to the power of a truly free and open internet. I can say something like "fuck the FCC," and—thanks to the lack of tiered pricing models that made the cable years such a chore—I can be assured that thousands of people from every possible tax bracket have a chance at reading it and confidently muttering "hell yeah" to themselves or those around them.
Though Democrats successfully forced a vote to repeal the net neutrality changes recently adopted by the Republican-controlled FCC, what exactly is at stake if things ultimately don't go our way? Below, we take a glance at four very real issues worth considering as we hopefully continue our fight to protect the internet from those seeking only to ruin it in every possible way.