OSCE media freedom representative welcomes U.S. rules on net neutrality that support a free and open Internet

VIENNA, 27 February 2015 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today welcomed new rules adopted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect an open Internet.

“This is a landmark decision to guarantee a free and open Internet with the free flow of information as one of its fundamental characteristics, thus protecting media freedom online,” Mijatović said. “All information sources must have equal access to potential audiences and, at the same time, the users must have unrestricted access to content of their choice.”

According to the new rules, Internet service providers will be reclassified as telecommunications services and will not be allowed to:

• block access to legal content, applications, services or devices;
• impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic;
• create “fast lanes” by prioritizing specific content and services.

The FCC's reclassification of broadband providers as essential public utilities provides a firm legal foundation for net neutrality regulation and will prevent discrimination of content or services as well as the potential censorship of Internet content by private entities.

“The U.S. regulator has taken into consideration contributions from an immense number of stakeholders, including civil society, in the course of this open and broad consultation process,” Mijatović said. 

The Representative particularly commended the decision of the FCC to adopt a series of provisions that will prevent telecommunications providers from discriminating against content that may conflict with the providers’ own political, economic and other interests.

In June 2014 Mijatović submitted a legal analysis on net neutrality rules prepared for her Office by Dawn Carla Nunziato, a law professor at The George Washington University Law School. The rules adopted by the FCC are in line with the suggestions and comments presented in the analysis, which is available at www.osce.org/fom/119822.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.