Several large U.S. tech firms have pledged to "go slow" for a day in order to protest a pending federal decision that could add fast and slow lanes to the Internet.

But fear not — the slowdown campaign won't actually curb your surfing speeds.

Rather, companies such as Kickstarter, Reddit, Mozilla, Etsy and Foursquare, have committed to using some form of a widget or banner that shows a revolving wheel-like icon to symbolize slow loading on Sept. 10, five days before the Federal Communications Commission's comment period on proposed internet rules are scheduled to end.

Silicon Valley lobbying firm Engine, which worked directly with the tech companies to get them on board with the spinning icon plan, said in a blog post Wednesday that Mozilla, Cheezburger, Meetup, Dwolla, General Assembly, Namecheap and Vimeo have also pledged to "go slow."

Some firms may build their own widgets or banners. But the main function will be to encourage viewers to contact policymakers, Evan Engstrom, policy director at Engine, told Mashable.

The FCC has received more than a million public comments on its proposed changes to its internet rules, which could either maintain an open web — known as net neutrality — or open the door for controversial fast and slow lanes.

The FCC's change of heart followed a successful legal challenge by Verizon. In January, the D.C. Court of Appeals opined that the FCC does not have the authority to make Verizon, or indeed any internet service provider, treat traffic equally.

Battle for the Net, which is backed by Engine and others that want to keep the web open, has < a href="https://www.battleforthenet.com/sept10th/">some examples of the spinning wheel fit with the necessary code on its website.

The project also encourages Twitter users to change their profile picture to a spinning wheel on Sept. 10.

Next week, Engine plans to reveal more firms that are slated to join their effort, Engstrom said.

Julie Wood, a spokeswoman for Kickstarter, said the crowdfunding website is participating in the Internet slowdown campaign because the fast lane proposal could be harmful for the company and others like it.

"We're participating because the FCC's fast lane proposal poses a real threat to companies like ours, and to the health and vibrancy of the Internet, both as an economic engine and as a place where ideas are exchanged," Wood said.

"Kickstarter was built on the foundation of an open Internet, and we wouldn't exist without it."