Net neutrality prevents internet providers from discriminating or charging differently by content type. It requires all internet traffic to be treated equally. Without net neutrality, large internet providers could promote their own content over others or charge fees to content providers for higher speeds, which could harm small businesses. While removing net neutrality rules could allow for free data plans if providers charge content companies instead, it risks giving providers too much control over what users see online. The EU currently maintains net neutrality rules, while in the US the repeal of net neutrality rules faces legal challenges.

1. Net neutrality
Student: Elmir Šut

2. FIRST THINGS THAT COME TO MIND
• What is "net neutrality?
• Why it matters?
• Can we do anything about it?
• Is it bad or good?
• Does it make any impact on us?
• Will it last forever?
• Who makes decisions about it?

3. Main idea behind NET neutrality
• "Net neutrality" prevents Internet providers like Telekom
Slovenije and Telemach from dictating the kinds of content
you're able to access online.
• Instead, Internet providers have to treat all traffic sources
equally.
• In short, net neutrality creates an even playing field among
content providers — both large and small — to the web. And it's
great for consumers because they can access everything they
want online for no extra charge.

4. Practical example
For example, Telemach would
probably like to promote POP TVs
content over RTV Slovenija's to its
Internet subscribers.
That's because Telemach and POP
TV are affiliated.
But net neutrality prevents Telemach
from being able to discriminate, and
it must display both POP TV's and
RTL's content evenly as a result.
• That means no slower load time
for RTV Slo, and definitely no
blocking of any other altogether.
• In short, net neutrality creates an
even playing field among content
providers — both large and small —
to the web.
• And it's great for consumers
because they can access
everything they want online for no
extra charge.

5. Who is against it?
• Some big Internet providers like
Verizon (USA) don't like the idea of
net neutrality.
• They feel they should be able to
pick and choose what people see
online and charge content
providers accordingly.
• They feel net neutrality chokes
their revenue potential.
• Think of it like Google ads. When
you type in a search on Google,
the top links are all from
advertisers who pay Google to put
their messages up top.
• Getting rid of net neutrality means
Telemach or Telekom Slovenije
could similarly choose which
content to promote based on their
own self-interests.

6. Will consumers benefit from
getting rid of net neutrality?
They could. Getting rid of net neutrality would allow the ISPs to
charge content providers who want their stuff promoted.
The additional revenue stream might mean free data plans for
consumers. Never paying for a data plan again sounds pretty
nice.

7. Could getting rid of net neutrality harm
consumers?
• It could.
• Consumers might lose control of
the Internet;
• ISPs could be the masters who
dictate exactly what we're able to
view online.
• There's also a risk for small
businesses.
• If they can't afford to pay Internet
providers to promote their content,
they might go under.

8. Worst-case scenario
In the absolute worst-case scenario, we could be looking at a sponsored
Internet in the future, where the only things specific ISP’s subscribers
see is the information those providers want them to see.
That means small businesses, who can't afford to pay providers like
Telemach, Telekom or any other to promote their content, might die, and only
larger companies who can afford to pay will have their content spread across
the web.

9. "In all likelihood the Internet will gradually move from being a
one-size-fits-all service to one where users or content companies
can — or have to — pay more for better service or higher volumes
of traffic," The Wall Street Journal

11. *Time Warner is owner of POP TV and partially of Telemach

12. Date: 11.05.2018
Important update:
• U.S. 'net neutrality' rules will expire on June 11: FCC
• A group of 22 states led by New York and others have sued to try to block the new rules from
taking effect, and the U.S. Senate may vote as early as next week to reject the December
repeal.
• The U.S. Senate is set to vote as early as next week on whether to reject the FCepeal of the net
neutrality rules, but that effort faces an uphill battle.
• If the Senate approves the measure, it would not likely pass the Republican-controlled House
of Representatives. If the legislation were to pass the House, President Donald Trump would
be expected to veto it.
Federal Communications Commission

13. EU current law set states:
ISPs are prohibited from blocking or slowing down of Internet traffic, except where
necessary. The exceptions are limited to: traffic management to comply with a
legal order, to ensure network integrity and security, and to manage congestion,
provided that equivalent categories of traffic are treated equally.
The provisions also enshrine in EU law a user’s right to be “free to access and
distribute information and content, run applications and use services of their
choice”.
Specific provisions ensure that national authorities can enforce this new right.