Citizens and NGOs in Europe have come together to advocate for net neutrality on the web.  With a decision looming from the Parliament of Europe on Tuesday, many citizens are worried that the internet may soon become like cable TV, with several entities controlling access to content.

“Net neutrality means that all traffic on the internet is treated on an equal basis, no matter its origin, recipient, sender, type of content or the means(e.g. equipment or protocols) used to transmit packets. Any deviation from this principle (for instance for congestion purposes) must be necessary, proportionate, temporary, targeted, transparent, and in accordance with relevant laws.”, writes on the website www.savetheinternet.eu.

Article 19 on the Telecoms Single Market proposal could potentially create a two-tiered internet system, where only a select few who are wealthy enough will have access to faster services. The regulation also gives power to ISPs to block content without judicial review. Ultimately, these proposals could jeopardize freedom of speech for internet users in Europe.

photo by Sean MacEntee on Flickr