[Metrobeans]

B479 - Net Neutrality Bill, Liberal Democrats

Preamble: A Bill to prevent internet service providers from restricting consumers' access to any networks that participate in the internet.
At the moment internet service providers (like Virgin, Sky, BT etc.) give their customers a set speed of internet connection that doesn't change depending on the site they are using. This is net neutrality, but it is not currently enshrined in the law. What some internet providers want to do is start controlling the speeds they offer depending on the site - they want to become the gatekeepers of content on the internet. A big wealthy website like Facebook could pay a service provider like Sky to give their site faster internet speeds, while smaller sites would be stuck in the slow lane because they wouldn't be able to afford advantages. We think this is unfair and goes against the founding principles of the web. This Bill would prevent providers from being able to control the content on the internet through discrimination - they wouldn't be allowed to censor anything or become gatekeepers.'

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Part I: Net neutrality

(1) Internet providers must treat all content, sites and platforms equally.
(2) The same quality of service must be given to each.
(3) Consumers are entitled to:
(i) Access the lawful Internet content of their choice.
(ii) Run applications and use services of their choice, subject to the needs of law enforcement.
(iii) Connect their choice of legal devices that do not harm the network.
(iv) Competition among network providers, application and service providers, and content providers.

Part II: Enforcement
(1) The enforcement of this Act should be the sole responsibility of the Office of Communications.
(2) Violation of this Act should be punishable by a warning, three of which will lead to a tempory suspension of a provider's license.

Part III: Commencement, short title and extent

(1) This Act may be cited as the Internet Neutrality Act 2012.
(2) This Act extends to the whole of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, its Territories Beyond the Seas, and its Crown Dependencies.
(3) This Act comes into force on Royal Assent, only in the event of unanimous agreement between and acceptance by all Commonwealth Realms[1], the Cook Islands, and Fiji, as submitted to, and accepted by both Houses of Parliament.

[1] "Commonwealth Realms" is defined as all of the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Explanation

"Network neutrality is the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. The Internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days... Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online." google

[Abiraleft]

Looks good to me.

Out of interest, is Part I (3) directly related to this bill in any way?

[toronto353]

Aye.

[Mechie]

Not until the picture at the top is back

[CLS94]

Aye, it would be a travesty if net neutrality was taken away...

[Rakas21]

On the one hand i believe that internet service providers should have the right to decide which service they offer but on the other hand they do not 'own' the internet per say and i believe that the internet is the greatest
invention the human race has ever made and that it should be protected at all costs.

I am going to vote Aye.

[chiggy321]

A very reasonable suggestion indeed. I, like my honourable friend the Prime Minister, do not desire to see any unnecessary infingement on the freedom of a company to determine the service which they provide. However, it appears that through their current practices these particular companies are adopting a role which goes far beyond their mandate and as such I wholeheartedly support this Bill.

[Lipvig]

Aye from me.

[MacDaddi]

1. Aye
2. Horrible Formatting
3. Is the Crown Dependencies thing really necessary?

[ByronicHero]

"Is" not "should be".

[CLS94]

MacDaddi has a good point - what is the reasoning behind only having it come into law if ratified by all crown dependencies? Are we seriously going to drop it if they decide they don't like it in Tuvalu or somewhere?

[barnetlad]

Aye- let's not wait for the Commonwealth countries or indeed anyone else. Facebook won't.

[Birchington]

Aye.

[Ysolt]

Sorry everyone. The version of the bill above is not the most recent draft so it still has formatting problems in it that have already been fixed - youll see the proper one soon.

(Original post by davidmarsh01)
Not until the picture at the top is back

Rest assured therell be that picture too!

[Jarred]

Aye, the whole idea of the internet is that it's keep free of restriction. I think ISPs should have the right to run their businesses how they want, but unrestricted access to the Internet is a much more important and fundamental right so I support this bill, but do remove the Crown dependencies stuff.

[tehFrance]

"Part 1, (1) Internet providers must treat all content, sites and platforms equally."

Like hell the ISPs are allowing people to access child porn

[RoryS]

Aye.

(Original post by davidmarsh01)
Not until the picture at the top is back

I agree - the formatting needs to be improved before this goes to vote.

[meenu89]

Aye.

[LETSJaM]

Aye.

Can't see much opposition to this tbh.

<3 x

[internetguru]

Yeah definitely support this but tehFrance makes a good point about child pornography.