VidCon: YouTubers talk net neutrality

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Fans cheer as their favorite YouTube stars from Our2ndLife arrive for a photo and autograph session during the three-day VidCon convention at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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YouTube actors from left: Connor Franta, Sam Puttorff, Trevor Moran, a fan, Kian Lawley, Jc Caylen and Ricky Dillon, who star in the show Our2ndLife, pose for photos at VidCon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Our2ndLife YouTube stars Trevor Moran, left, Kian Lawley, Jc Caylen, Connor Franta and Sam Puttorff rally as they arrive to pose for photos and sign autographs. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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About 18,000 video content creators, viral video stars and their fans were expected to pack the Anaheim Convention Center for the 5th annual VidCon. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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YouTube star Ingrid Nilsen, right, of the YouTube show MissGlamorazzi, greets a fan. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Vivi Munoz, 4, of Orange, dances in front of an artistic motion video screen at a silent disco booth where dancers used headphones to listen and dance to music. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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People play quidditch, a game featured in the Harry Potter series, during VidCon at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Fans Welcome YouTube star Ricky Dillon at VidCon, which is expected to draw about 18,000 people to the Anaheim Convention Center over three days. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Ricky Dillon takes a selfie in front of the hundreds of fans that came to meet him at VidCon. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Stevie Rajcic, Iris Norby and Maddy Lorenzo pass the time while waiting to see their YouTube heroes at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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About 18,000 video content creators, viral video stars and their fans are expected to pack the Anaheim Convention Center for the fifth annual VidCon. Above, disappointed fans react as time runs out for meeting their favorite YouTube stars. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Connor Simon, 15, and Evan Duran, 16, both from Irvine, check out a camera at the convention. The growth in VidCon’s popularity is a testament to the success of online video content, especially among younger people who use websites as creative outlets. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Abby Ceaglske and Zack Nelson, both 17, make a video of themselves at the Fullscreen booth at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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When VidCon began in 2010, the conference took place at a smaller venue in Los Angeles and drew in about 1,400 attendees. This year, it occupies two halls at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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People line up Thursday for VidCon at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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Jenna Ward, Neve Dispenza and Casey Flanagan rush across the Anaheim Convention Center floor for the line to see Ricky Dillon. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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A security agent directs some of the thousands of YouTube fans gathered at the Anaheim Convention Center. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

By Yvonne VillarrealStaff Writer

June 27, 2014 2:45 PM PT

The end of net neutrality? More like the end of the world -- at least that was the prevailing thought during a Friday panel at VidCon.

In the wake of the FCC initiating a process to come up with new rules for an open internet, controversy has bubbled over provisions that would allow for the creation of a fast lane for data that companies could pay to access, putting the everyday user at a disadvantage.

During a panel titled “Our Biggest Fear: The End of Net Neutrality,” at the annual online video convention in Anaheim, YouTubers Vi Hart and Emily Eifler discussed their concerns as content makers.

“I think one of the weird effects of net neutrally that affects my daily life is Internet speeds,” said Hart, whose 11-minute video on the hot-button issue has tallied more than 500,000 views. “Just uploading a video... when I have to wait 13 hours for a simple video to upload that is symptom of problems.”

Eifler, who runs the educational tech channel BlinkPopShift, stressed the idea that the rules would put those without bulging pockets at a disadvantage. Eifler said it also threatens competition by using the example of wanting to start a new video platform but not having the resources Google might have to pay, say, Comcast to host their own delivery service inside a Comcast netowrk.

“That would mean that only people who pay for Comcast service and people who wanted to watch YouTube videos would get much faster service than, say, my little video start-up platform,” she said. “That just means any creator who wants to get stuff uploaded quickly would automatically go to Youtube and wouldn’t be able to put content on other platforms. Meaning that those platforms would mathematically be less likely to get more viewers.”

Michael Weinberg, vice president at Public Knowledge, a nonprofit Washington, D.C., public interest group involved with tech policy issues, said activation among the video community -- creators and consumers -- is key. Weinberg said Public Knowledge is working on assembling a form of YouTuber action with plans for a site to coordinate people.

“People who are in the FCC don’t understand what is happening,” Weinberg said. “People in the FCC are maybe aware of Netflix and have probably been forwarded a cat video on YouTube, but have no concept of the scale ... no one in Washington sees you coming. If you come together and act together, there’s a lot of push there. And it will be a lot of push going against an undefended client.”

The possibility of an end to net neutraility was dubbed “Our Biggest Fear” at a VidCon panel on Friday.

Twitter: @villarrealy