12 April 2015

Global Threats to Net Neutrality


APRIL 10, 2015 

Policy makers in Europe and India are considering rules that could raise prices for consumers. Here, a passenger uses the Internet from a smartphone on a train in Mumbai, India. CreditRafiq Maqbool/Associated Press

The Federal Communications Commission recently adopted strong net neutrality rules that should prevent cable and phone companies from creating fast and slow lanes on the Internet. But policy makers in other parts of the world, particularly in Europe and India, are considering very different kinds of rules that could hurt consumers and start-up Internet businesses.

Last month, the European Council, which is made up of the 28 national governments of European Union members, adopted a proposal that would allow telecommunications companies to charge Internet businesses like Netflix and Google fees to deliver their videos and other content to users faster than could smaller companies that cannot afford to pay for preferential treatment.

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