Websites Protest Possible Internet Pay-for-(Fast) Play Rules

If you're logging on to a popular website like Etsy, Kickstarter, or Reddit today, you may notice things look a little different.

These and other tech businesses are observing a "net neutrality day of action."

The idea is to rally people to support rules that would prohibit broadband providers from moving some internet traffic more slowly, and other content more quickly — and charging more to move it faster.

Michael Cheah, general counsel at New York City-based Vimeo, said his website supports the day of action. Vimeo helps people share their independently-produced films and Cheah said that in an internet with a fast land and a slow lane, “We would be at a disadvantage to a lot of commercial content.”

But some internet providers say it's only fair that websites using a lot of bandwidth should pay something to reach their users.

Today is the last day the Federal Communications Commission is taking comments on its rules for internet traffic.