Maddy Fry

On 4th May the EU will be voting on legislation which, if it passes, would give broadband providers the right to give ISP subscribers access to the internet in the form of packages akin to those offered on television by companies like Sky. Consumers would therefore only be able to access certain sites, with those outside of the package deal being blocked from view.

Although it has been presented as a more efficient way of promoting competition, offering users a better service by tailoring it to their specific preferences and also helping to prevent piracy and illegal downloading, the news has provoked serious concerns that state institutions are attempting to control a medium which, up until recently, has allowed free exchanges between users, unregulated by corporations or the government.

The proposals have similarly provoked criticism for the threat they would pose to small businesses, particularly those that appeal to niche market internet shoppers. Under the new system of packages, smaller companies would find it harder to advertise if they were excluded from the deals offered to users, which would most likely only include big names like Amazon.com and Google. Many are therefore worried that countless small and artisan companies could suffer and go out of business.

We ask students at SOAS for their views on the new legislation.