The Net Neutrality or how to save the

Internet

Allowing broadband carriers to control what people see and do online would fundamentally
undermine the principles that have made the Internet such a success said Vint Cerf, considered by
many as the father of Internet. A Vision shared by a more global and fundamental concept in the
Internet: the Net Neutrality. A term often heard, the Net Neutrality is simply defined as the principle
that Internet users can connect to any other point in the network. In other term, an End users can
create, access and use any content, service and application they choose, without discrimination,
restriction or limitation imposed by the internet infrastructure owner (Internet Access Provider (IAP),
Internet Service Provider (ISP), government, corporate).
If its a simple harmless concept, why violating it?
Feeling a slow connection when opening a video, a website, a service over the net? This is one of the
formal aspects of the violation of the net neutrality. In fact, the reasons are quite divers to do so: the
financial profit for instance some ISP block some application or slow down Internet traffic for their
own commercial benefit when their delivery is challenged since ISP provide content, services and
applications. For example Comcast, the well-known American ISP, in the late 2000s,have taken steps
to reduce BitTorrent traffic network to block it because BitTorrent users can download movie and
video freely preferring it to Comecasts pay-per-view service. The Federal Communication
Commission (FCC) launched an investigation and, in mid-2008, the Commission ruled that Comcasts
policy of crippling BitTorrent was a violation of net neutrality ruleseven though the company had
voluntarily halted the practice six months prior. Another example of discrimination is T-Mobiles

blocking of Internet telephony services (Voice over IP), provided for example by Skype, in order to
give priority to their own and their business partners services. National security, mass-surveillance,
anti-terrorism are also legitimated reasons for Governments to ask access to customer personal
data and to filter and monitor the Internet to enforce the law. Today, they are over forty countries In
where website blocking has been introduced. This list includes Belgium, France, Italy, the UK and
Ireland.
The concept of Net Neutrality builds on the view that information on the Internet should be
transmitted impartially, without regard to content, destination or source. By looking into users
Internet communications, ISPs may breach the existing rules on the confidentiality of
communications, which is a fundamental right that must be carefully preserved. A serious policy
debate on Net Neutrality must make sure that users confidentiality of communications is effectively
protected. - European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS). Net Neutrality ensure a digital democratic
sphere where right to freedom of expression, to access to information and to protection of personal
data are respected as it is a tool for innovation and competition developing the digital markets.
However, many protesters claim some myths about Net Neutrality. For instance, saying Net
Neutrality is bad for the development of infrastructure, who is going to pay?, this claim is based on
the concept that giving a free access to user will cause congestion of the network and harm
availability of the content which will stimulate more investment in broadband. In fact, the ability of
consumers to access Internet content, applications and services is the reason consumers are willing
to pay Internet access providers. This claim is baseless, because users are already paying their
subscriptions, for content and applications which allow ISP to profit from their investment in
networks. Moreover, consumers demand to use high-bandwidth applications, such as peer-to-peer
and streaming music and video, creates demand for faster Internet connections, more revenue for
access providers and, ultimately, fuels investment in infrastructure. Another claims saying: Net
Neutrality legislation would mean no network management, causing problems for the quality of the
Internet. Another wrong argument because the legislation protection Net Neutrality will arbitrary
restrictions implemented by access providers that are designed to undermine the openness of the
Internet to make extra profits rather than preventing them from managing their Networks.
What is the state of Net Neutrality in Mena region?
The Net Neutrality debate is quite weak and at some countries not taken in consideration. In the
other side, the violation of net neutrality, online rights and oppression over the net is on a rise
despite the Arab revolution. For example in Jun 2016, a law was published by the Moroccan
government giving the right to IAP to block VoIP. A situation profitable and endorsed by the law
For the Moroccan operator & ISP. There is a lack of protestation in this filed from consumers and civil
society using the alternative of VPN networks (such as Hotspot Shield) to overcome this block. The
situation is quite different in another Mena county, Algeria, where at the same period, and without
any notice, the Algerian government blocks access to Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram). The reason: to protect candidates at bac exam from the leaked document that may
circulate over these networks. As for the Moroccan consumer, there were no reaction else to using
VPN network, however, IAP, operators & ISP register a severe financial loss giving rise to eddies
among them.

Is there a bright side in Mena region in this field, it could be Tunisia. In fact, there were several
debates and initiative made to encourage Net neutrality. In fact, the article 26 of the Tunisian
telecoms code 2001 the holder of a telecommunication license must comply with the condition of
privacy and neutrality regarding the communication signals. In other terms, every operator installed
in Tunisia must engage to respect the neutrality of transmitted data over his equipment. Also it
stimulates the neutrality in the process with the customers and the other providers. Based in this
article, the Tunisian IAP send a serious warming to the 3 telecoms operator in 2014 when they
decided to block the VoIP in their respective network. However this law must be reinforced by taking
in consideration the Social Media and new technologies aspect with the contribution of all the
stakeholders of the Internet governance.
The Internet concept must be free, open, preserve the right of all the users without any kind of
discrimination or repression or censorship respecting their rights. It was never a tool to give power to
IAP or ISP to be a Gatekeeper privileging user or blocking other based on a business or
governmental interest. Lets Safeguard the Net Neutrality!
References :
https://edri.org/files/EDRi_NetNeutrality.pdf
http://www.ijsr.net/archive/v4i7/SUB156685.pdf
https://www.igmena.org/internetlegislationatlas
https://fr.scribd.com/document/52880240/In-Favor-of-Net-Neutrality-Regulation
http://www.dailydot.com/layer8/net-neutrality-violations-history/