Hello everybody!

I just wanted to drop a line about the current network neutrality brouhaha. [1] It reveals that the topic is controversial within the Commission and even within the different Directorate-Generals. This is not necessarily bad news, as it means that new arguments can very well make their way into the discourse.

Yesterday and today the new draft regulation [2] was presented [3] and the news for us is that we need to change the questions we were asking ourselves. So far, we have been regarding this issue under the potential risks for Wikipedia Zero [4], which will of course remain a major point.

The new draft allows content providers to sign contracts with internet service providers to guarantee better access to services (e.g. higher speeds, no traffic charges). Apart from this being everything BUT the definition of network neutrality [5], this is important to us from the following perspective:

Let's say Yahoo pays an ISP to have its services - including Yahoo Answers - treated as „special services“, meaning they open faster or traffic to them is not deducted from your 3GB/month plan. Would such a scenario have negative consequences for our projects? Would these consequences be big enough to argue in favour of actual network neutrality? Would this still be the case even if it meant giving up Wikipedia Zero?

Just to remind you, we do not currently have any official position or statements on this topic nor am I aware of plans to have such. These are very hypothetical questions, but it is still important to know what is going on, how it will affect us and what we would need to do if case be.

Cheers,

Dimi

[1] http://www.iptegrity.com/index.php/telecoms-package/net-neutrality/903-redin...

[2] http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2013/EN/1-2013-627-EN-F1-1.Pdf

[3] europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-779_en.htm

[4] http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2013-August/127715.html

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_neutrality