This Thursday might be the end of the Internet as we know it.

Thursday, December 14th is the day that the Federal Trade Commissions (FCC) has set aside for its members to vote on whether or not to repeal net neutrality. It will likely be a 3-to-2 vote, favoring throwing out the current internet laws.

Due to the complexity of the internet itself, the concept of net neutrality can be a difficult one to grasp; however, to be able to comprehend the system in full, it is important to understand the playing field that is at hand:

On one side you have the Internet Service Providers (ISPs), that's the Comcast's and AT&T's – these are the big players that provide you access to the internet. Think of them as the companies that physically bring service to your WIFI router.

On the other side, you have the content providers. These are the independent companies such as: Google, Netflix, and Amazon. They are thought to be the "garage startups," and were once small companies that gained the financial support they needed to turn them into large corporations.

When it comes to net neutrality, these two players are strong rivals. However, one cannot function without the other. Without ISP's, content providers would have no platform, and without content providers, ISPs would have nothing to show for.

During the Obama administration, the internet was declared to be "net neutral," and Title II (a clause in the 1934 Communications Act that allowed the FCC to regulate media in protection against monopolies) was applied to the Open Internet Order in 2015.

Under this order, ISPs are to treat their customers and content providers equally. This means that they cannot speed up content for companies who pay more or block content for those who do not. Without it, the ISPs have open opportunity to favor higher-paying content providers over others, regardless of the public's opinion.

This idea extends to customers as well. ISPs are massive corporations that own interests in a variety of media companies. Because of this, they have an even stronger incentive to create "fast lanes" for the content they own, while charging customers a higher rate to stream "slow lane" content they do not, such as binge-watching Netflix.

So why is the FCC not giving the public a voice in all of this? This is what has had the country in an uproar and why every time you log into your social media platform you see another person advocating against the appeal of net neutrality.

This, again, goes back to the Obama administration. When the FCC was working on making the internet net neutral, they allowed the public's voice in the matter, and as a result, were flooded with responses in favor of a net neutral internet.

To keep from the same mass influx of responses, Trump's appointed FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, is calling for a vote among FCC members for what they feel will be in the best interest of all internet users.

And while the FCC acts to favor the public's interest, will their vote truly be the best choice for the public?

A world without net neutrality will likely be messy. Although companies are required to put into contracts any notice of slowing down content, it is rocky on whether or not they will actually hold true to their words.

Pai has stated that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will be taking any complaints of any ISP not holding true to their agreements; however, being a large regulator of every company from Coca-Cola to Emory Hospital, adding another might further complicated the FTC’s already busy schedule.

And while the digital time-clock ticks down the hours until the FCC votes on whether or not to repeal net neutrality, we are not helpless in the waiting.

There are several ways you can reach out before the vote Thursday:

-Call the FCC Headquarters, 1 (202) 418-1000, and state your name, city, and that you are against the repeal of net neutrality.

-You can also text “RESIST” to 504-09, which will guide you through drafting a letter to your choice of House Representative, Senator, Governor, or President. Once you have texted in your written responses, it will actually send an email directly to your stated official in your name.