Stanford CIS

Unfair Competition Among ISPs, Unequal Access To Internet: Experts On How Network Usage Fees Threaten Net Neutrality

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Panellist Barbara van Schewick explains that fundamentally, network fees will lead to a system wherein some companies, which offer popular services, will be charged, while others may be excluded from such levy. A differential treatment among companies based on the services they provide will further lead to “economic discrimination”.“And treating some companies differently from others is a key net neutrality issue. It distorts competition among application and content providers. And that’s what we want to avoid. So, I say this is ironic because both in India and in Europe, we have very clear statements that make clear that this kind of economic discrimination, charging some companies but not others, is squarely covered by the net neutrality protections,” she stated.