Access provides analysis of the this week’s NetMundial meeting, noting the highs and lows, and reflecting on what is needed to achieve internet governance that is truly democratic and multistakeholder, ensuring the meaningful and accountable participation of all stakeholders.…
25 April 2014
Today, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman, Tom Wheeler circulated a proposal for new rules on network neutrality that could allow internet service providers (ISP) to charge content providers and other companies different prices to reach customers at…
24 April 2014
Access, an international organization committed to extending and defending the rights of internet users worldwide, is encouraged by recent votes that will help secure an open internet. Yesterday, the European Union voted 534-23 in favor of network neutrality, and just last week the Brazilian Congress also voted to protect the internet as part of a larger “internet bill of rights.”…
4 April 2014
Today the European Parliament voted on the European Telecoms Single Market proposal, a major legislative achievement protecting net neutrality that will have a crucial impact on how European users experience the internet for generations.…
3 April 2014
After six months of negotiations, the European Parliament will finally vote on the proposal for a Telecoms Single Market in one week. This proposal was initially designed to deliver the promise of enshrining net neutrality as law across Europe. Yet unless the European Parliament rises to the challenge next week, they may actually end up undermining net neutrality net through unclear and confusing legislation.…
27 March 2014
Today the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament voted on the European Telecoms Single Market proposal. With its provisions that put net neutrality at risk, this contentious E.U. legislation will have a critical impact on how European users experience the internet since across the continent. …
18 March 2014
After months of planning and preparing, we’re ready to kick off RightsCon Silicon Valley 2014, the premier gathering of tech policy leaders, entrepreneurs, and digital rights defenders from around the world. I’m in awe of the amazing lineup of speakers and experts, and we want to make sure you have access to them too!
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2 March 2014
Earlier this week the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament was scheduled to vote on the European Telecoms Single Market proposal, legislation critical to determining the future of network neutrality in Europe. But instead of voting on Monday, the Committee decided to postpone the vote — because of a problem with plastic bags.
…27 February 2014
On Monday, 24 February, the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament will vote on the European Commission’s Telecoms Single Market proposal. This proposal includes provisions that put the future of the internet at risk as if not adequately amended, it would allow telcos to restrict the rights of internet users and establish a two-tiered internet in Europe.…
23 February 2014
Nearly a month after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Circuit) struck down the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to enforce existing network neutrality rules, the FCC announced its response. In a statement today, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler engaged in impressive verbal acrobatics to avoid the simple truth: In order to protect the open and innovative internet the FCC must correct its earlier mistakes and expand the agency’s regulatory authority over internet service providers (ISP) under Title II of the 1996 Communications Act.
…20 February 2014
In September 2013, the European Commission presented its proposed regulation for a single market for electronic communications (see Access’s analysis here). The Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee is the lead committee for this proposal and will provide its final report on February 24, before the legislative proposal is voted on by the full European Parliament in early April 2014.…
17 February 2014
Access welcomes yesterday’s vote in the LIBE Committee, which addressed several of the problematic provisions and proved its commitment to protecting the internet as a platform for free expression and innovation. …
13 February 2014
Today, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) Committee of the European Parliament voted on the Telecom Single Market proposal, which includes provisions putting net neutrality at stake in Europe.…
23 January 2014
The Culture and Education (CULT) and Legal Affairs (JURI) Committees of the European Parliament voted today on the European Telecom Single Market proposal, tabled in September 2013 by the Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes. The proposed Regulation, which principally aims at completing a “European Single Market for electronic communications and achieving a Connected Continent” includes provisions putting network neutrality at stake.…
21 January 2014
Yesterday, a U.S. Appeals Court invalidated the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality rules. In its ruling, the court stated that the FCC lacked the authority to prevent internet service providers from discriminating among certain types of traffic — effectively allowing providers to make pay-to-play a reality online. This ruling is a significant blow to net neutrality, in the United States and elsewhere. The Court’s ruling creates a dangerous global precedent places the unique character of the internet — its boldness, creativity, and diversity — at risk. And yet, by ruling selectively on the merits of the case, the Court has left the door open for possible reforms, at least in the United States.…
15 January 2014
With the European Parliamentary elections in May rapidly approaching, the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on a single market for electronic communications is on the fast track. The Regulation, which will be binding on all 28 member states, includes rules on net neutrality, however, they suffer from several dangerous loopholes. Problematically, given the current legislative timeline, fundamental rights concerns may not be given sufficient attention. …
11 December 2013
Net neutrality gets at the heart of many of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, whose 65th anniversary we celebrate today. While freedom of expression and access to information are often mentioned in the same breath as net neutrality, net neutrality also has an important privacy component. Recently proposed legislation in the EU offers the opportunity to enshrine net neutrality into law, potentially adding important protections for user communications.
…10 December 2013
Since last year, Access has been working to raise the profile of net neutrality and stop network discrimination in Europe. As result of this work, today Access has launched its policy paper on “Net neutrality: Ending Network Discrimination in Europe”.…
23 October 2013