A Brussels summit and a three-month consultation of internet service providers, telecoms firms, consumer groups and civil liberties activists on the topic of ‘net neutrality‘ carried out by the European Commission, whose results were published this week, reveal wide divisions amongst stakeholders in the sector over how to maintain an open internet.
The topic is highly controversial, as was revealed by the result of the commission’s consultation. A number of respondents said that ‘traffic management’ is inevitable and desirable in order to support efficient networks.
Railing against such thinking, Jeremie Zimmerman of La Quadrature du Net, an online civil liberties outfit, told the summit: « Net neutrality must be made into law. Provisions aiming at competition and transparency have proven ineffective to protect it. This fundamental principle must by guaranteed through EU-wide regulation. »
http://euobserver.com/9/31252