Policy makers are grappling with net neutrality for the fourth time in a decade.
Today, Dropbox is participating in a Day of Action with other tech companies and privacy groups to bring attention to the importance of net neutrality policies and defend internet freedom. On this Day of Action, we want to state clearly where Dropbox stands: we strongly favor a free and open internet with fair rules that promote competition, choice, and innovation. We’ve shared this position before and it’s worth repeating.
Net neutrality ensures that all web traffic must be treated equally. This means that ISPs can’t block or slow down data from unaffiliated websites and apps, nor can they give preference to traffic from companies that pay extra.
This concept means so much to us. If ISPs had charged for preferred treatment when Drew and Arash founded Dropbox in 2007, we might never have gotten off the ground. Everyone deserves the same chance we had.
A free and open internet ensures that great services and products win in the market, not simply those who have the deepest pockets. And it means that internet users can access what they want without interference. Simply put, net neutrality works—for network operators, for companies like ours, and most importantly, for everyday people.
A new Internet Association white paper shows that network operators have continued to expand their networks with increased investments every year since 2009—with no downturn after the FCC adopted strong net neutrality rules in 2015. Many millions more of you also started using Dropbox during those years. The Internet Association white paper chronicles how countless other companies also have depended on net neutrality as they grow their businesses. Ultimately, internet users are the biggest winners, with faster networks delivering even more innovation and choice.
Policymakers will continue to weigh the best legal framework to safeguard these protections, but our bottom line is that the future of the internet depends on strong net neutrality rules. We’ll continue to make our voice heard. And we hope you’ll speak out too. You can find more information and the best ways to get involved here.
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