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2013 5-30 co e presentation matthijs van bergen net neutrality in the netherlands and human rights
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Transcript of 2013 5-30 co e presentation matthijs van bergen net neutrality in the netherlands and human rights
Net Neutrality in the Netherlands and human rights
Matthijs van Bergen
30 May 2013
Network Neutrality and Human Rights Multi-stakeholder dialogue organized by the
Council of Europe
Who am I
Internet citizen
Volunteer at Bits of Freedom
Legal advisor at ICTRecht
PhD candidate at Leiden University (eLaw Center)
Internet Citizen
Bits of Freedom Volunteer
(that’s not me)
Legal advisor at ICTRecht
Promotors Wouter Hins & Bart Schermer
PhD candidate
at the
University of Leiden
The foundation of the Internet is democratic
Power is decentralized when it can and centralized only when it must
The network serves the edges and not the other way around
The Internet even used to respect your privacy
© Peter Steiner, 1993
Greed is eroding the democratic foundation of the Internet
Internet access providers got jealous of Google and others’ profits and want to monetize control over content
This violates the separation between the application and transport layers
KPN got greedy
KPN’s evil plans
‘Monetize’ WhatsApp usage, by asking an extra fee to refrain from blocking WhatsApp
(i.e. Tony Soprano’s vision of networking)
Spy on its users using DPI
If Internet providers could
charge users extra to
refrain from blocking specific services, this would happen
This is not just about money
The ‘constitution’ of the Internet is at stake
The Dutch law (7.4a TA) in short (Not the literal text, but meaning is very close)
No hindering or slowing down applications and services on the Internet, unless NECESSARY to:
minimize the effects of congestion, giving equal treatment to equal types of traffic;
preserve integrity and security of network, service and terminal equipment;
restrict spam if user has given consent; or
give effect to a legislative provision or court order.
[this should have been here too: comply with an explicit request from the subscriber, provided that this request does not imply lower subscription fees]
How to apply the test
1. Is the provider slowing down or hindering traffic (incl. through pricing)?
2. Is such a measure prescribed by the contract or general terms?
3. Is there a legitimate aim for the measure?
4. Is the measure necessary in a democratic, end-to-end network; can’t the problem be solved at the edges?
5. Is the measure proportionate; isn’t there another measure possible that is less severe?
Margin of appreciation
Internet providers should have a margin of appreciation to decide which measures are necessary
More margin of appreciation when competition is strong and switching is easy
More margin of appreciation if there is less consensus among technicians about the effectivity of a measure
This means
Internet providers can’t blackmail providers of online content and applications to pay for not getting blocked
Internet providers can’t force users to pay extra if they want to keep using their favorite applications
If there is congestion, proportionate measures can be taken
But paying to get priority is not OK
IP-based services over private IP networks which are not Internet access services, are not within the scope of this law, and IP-TV and VoIP can have priority on the provider’s network.
But no slowing down or blocking Skype, Youtube or other Internet based VoIP or TV providers!!!!
If it is possible to let the user control what applications have priority and when, that is the best
7.4a sub 3 Providers of Internet access services do not make the prices for Internet access subject to the online applications or services used or offered through the Internet access service.
Therefore: subscriptions with low data caps for public Internet access and unlimited data for managed services, should be regarded with very strong
suspicion.
A model law on net neutrality
Internet providers shall refrain from any interference with or restriction to Internet users' freedom to access and distribute content through applications and devices of their choice, unless such interference is strictly necessary and proportionate to: a) minimize the effects of congestion, giving equal
treatment to equal types of traffic; b) preserve integrity and security of network, service and
terminal equipment; c) restrict spam if user has given consent; d) give effect to a legislative provision or court order; or e) comply with an explicit request from the subscriber,
provided that this request does not imply lower subscription fees.
Food for thought
• NN laws are restrictions on the right to property, which is also a human right. Where opposing fundamental rights are concerned, member states have a wider margin of appreciation to strike their own balance; are positive obligations to protect NN possible in this context?
• Transport layer vs content layer: please do not tie search neutrality and ‘Facebook neutrality’ in with net neutrality. State interference in Google’s editorial discretion over search and online content is a different issue (Solum and Chung call this a “layer violation”)
CC attributions
Digital globe – Rgbstock license
Power ranger – State Farm (flickr user)
Arab spring picture – FreedomHouse (flickr user)
Network – sjcockell (flickr user)
Catastrophic failure – cowbite (flickr user)
Internet subscription package – i.imgur.com (reddit user)
Information super tollway – Kalil Bendib
Constitution – jmorgan (flickr user)