Steve MacLaughlin, Director of Internet Solutions, Blackbaud

Have you been following the Net Neutrality debate? You should. It might dramatically impact your nonprofit.

There's little doubt that most of us who use the Internet every day have at least heard about Net Neutrality. When pressed for details, though, many in the nonprofit community can't offer much of a definition.

Worse, most have no idea that it stands to severely restrict the way they communicate and serve their constituents.

In short, there are corporate entities trying to control what gets sent over the Internet, and the Internet as we know and love it today might be lost. Imagine trying to conduct an online fundraising campaign using Internet access from an Internet service provider (ISP) that doesn't agree with your mission or message. Right now they can legally restrict or slow your Internet connection. Think it can't happen? It already has. 

Nicole A. Ozer, ACLU of Northern California

The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) is the federal law that is supposed to protect the privacy of electronic communications and personal information from inappropriate disclosure to government or third parties. But ECPA was enacted in 1986, when Ronald Reagan was President, cell phones were as big as your head, and the Web did not even exist.

Technology has changed dramatically since then, allowing us to easily move our activities and information online -- but since electronic privacy law hasn't kept up, the privacy protections for that information may not transition as smoothly.

Cloud computing is a prime example. If you use a software-based service or electronic storage company, depending on the terms of the cloud computing provider and the type of demand, your information might be handed over without judicial oversight and without you even knowing.