On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission repealed the Obama-era “net neutrality” rules, paving the way for internet providers to slow or block access to certain services or charge more for faster speeds. The move has the potential to affect startups, including those that help seniors.
It’s too early to say what effect this will have on any sector, said Sidnee Peck, the founding member of Aging 2.0 Phoenix, which helps entrepreneurs drive innovation in the aging market.
She said currently that space is made up of existing businesses and startups. Best-case scenario, Peck said, net neutrality doesn’t impact the services seniors already receive.
"Worst-case scenario, we do discourage entrepreneurs from participating in the senior space because the end users aren’t able to pay for what their product now costs," she said.
Peck says Aging 2.0 started because there was a gap in the aging space when it came to innovation, and she says time will tell if net neutrality will hurt this burgeoning space.
