{"id":357,"date":"2024-06-13T12:51:56","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T11:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/?post_type=publication&#038;p=357"},"modified":"2024-06-25T17:02:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T16:02:29","slug":"what-is-network-neutrality","status":"publish","type":"publication","link":"https:\/\/www.mediadefence.org\/ereader\/publications\/introductory-modules-on-digital-rights-and-freedom-of-expression-online\/module-3-access-to-the-internet\/what-is-network-neutrality\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Network Neutrality?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Network neutrality \u2014 or \u201cnet neutrality\u201d \u2014 refers to the principle that all internet data should be treated equally without undue interference, and promotes the widest possible access to information on the internet.[footnote]UNHRC, \u2018Report of the UNSR on Freedom of Expression\u2019 (2017), accessible at https:\/\/freedex.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/2015\/files\/2017\/05\/AHRC3522.pdf, at para 23.[\/footnote] In other words, it promotes the idea that ISPs should treat all data that travels over their networks fairly, without improper discrimination in favour of a particular application, website, or service.[footnote]Electronic Frontier Foundation, \u2018Net neutrality\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.eff.org\/issues\/net-neutrality).[\/footnote] Discrimination in this regard may relate to halting, slowing or otherwise tampering with the transfer of any data, except for a legitimate network management purpose, such as easing congestion or blocking spam.[footnote]American Civil Liberties Union, \u2018What is net neutrality?\u2019 (accessible at https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/issues\/free-speech\/internet-speech\/what-net-neutrality).[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2017 Report of the UNSR on FreeEx describes two key ways in which net neutrality may be compromised:[footnote]Accessible at accessible at https:\/\/freedex.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/2015\/files\/2017\/05\/AHRC3522.pdf, at paras 24-28.[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Paid prioritisation schemes<\/strong> \u2014 where providers give preferential treatment to certain types of internet traffic over others for payment or other commercial benefit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zero-rating<\/strong> \u2014 which is the practice of not charging for the use of internet data associated with a particular application or service, while other services or applications are subject to metered cost.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In various countries around Africa, there has been significant debate about access to zero\u2011rated content, particularly as social networking sites have begun to offer some measure of free access to users. On the one hand, zero-rating provides access to persons who might not otherwise have been able to access the internet and can provide critical free information on topics of public importance. For example, zero-rating was used extensively during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa to enable wider access to public health information about the disease and its prevention.[footnote]ISPA, \u2018Press Release&nbsp;: ISPA Helps Consumers Verify Zero-Rated Websites in SA\u2019 (2020) (accessible at https:\/\/ispa.org.za\/press_releases\/ispa-helps-consumers-verify-zero-rated-websites\/).[\/footnote] On the other hand, critics argue that zero\u2011rating can lead to unfair competition and distort users\u2019 perceptions by only allowing access to particular sites, thereby limiting access to information.[footnote]For a discussion on zero-rating in Africa, see Research ICT Africa, \u2018Much ado about nothing? Zero-rating in the African context\u2019 (2016) (accessible at https:\/\/www.researchictafrica.net\/publications\/Other_publications\/2016_RIA_Zero-Rating_Policy_Paper_-_Much_ado_about_nothing.pdf).[\/footnote]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/achpr.au.int\/en\/node\/902\">Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa<\/a> (African Declaration) protects network neutrality by calling on states to require internet intermediaries to enable access to all internet traffic equally and not to interfere with the free flow of information by giving preference to particular internet traffic.[footnote]ACHPR, \u2018Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa 2019\u2019 (2019) (accessible at https:\/\/achpr.au.int\/en\/node\/902) at Principle 39.[\/footnote] In 2021 the UN Human Rights Council adopted a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.article19.org\/resources\/un-human-rights-council-adopts-resolution-on-human-rights-on-the-internet\/\">resolution<\/a> that calls upon States to ensure net neutrality and prohibit attempts by internet service providers to discriminate between content.[footnote]ARTICLE 19, \u2018UN: Human Rights Council adopts resolution on human rights on the Internet\u2019 (2021) (accessible at https:\/\/www.article19.org\/resources\/un-human-rights-council-adopts-resolution-on-human-rights-on-the-internet\/).[\/footnote]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Network neutrality \u2014 or \u201cnet neutrality\u201d \u2014 refers to the principle that all internet data should be treated equally without undue interference, and promotes the widest possible access to information on the internet.[footnote]UNHRC, \u2018Report of the UNSR on Freedom of Expression\u2019 (2017), accessible at https:\/\/freedex.org\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/2015\/files\/2017\/05\/AHRC3522.pdf, at para 23.[\/footnote] In other words, it promotes the idea [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":346,"menu_order":222,"template":"page-templates\/chapter.php","publication-category":[],"class_list":["post-357","publication","type-publication","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Network Neutrality? 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