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[Funky Papa]

From the personal blog of the always awesome Julia Reda: It is done.

Today, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) published its guidelines on net neutrality.

This is a victory for civil society, whose relentless involvement secured the principles of a free and open internet in Europe. By demanding strong net neutrality in record numbers, Europeans managed to overcome massive lobbying by the telecom industry and narrowly avert a catastrophe for the internet.

It has to be noted with regret that it was not our digital Commissioner Günther Oettinger who listened to the people and defended an internet not biased towards big corporate interests, but the regulator body BEREC. The precise interpretation of the rules BEREC presented today defuses most of the risks left in the legislation by the other EU institutions. One issue we will need to stay vigilant of is the anti-competitive pracice of zero-rating, where decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

The Save the Internet campaign is in party mode already.

BEREC’s final guidelines, which were published on 30 August 2016, offer some of the strongest net neutrality protections we could wish for. So long as these new rules are properly enforced by national telecom regulators, they represent a resounding victory for net neutrality.

The public has made clear that will not leave the future of its digital public space to big telco lobbyists, but wants to decide for itself. To that end, civil society has to stay watchful and observe that telecom operators don’t violate the new principles.

The consultation came as the final step of a legislative process that was launched in September 2013. During the ensuing three years, the SaveTheInternet.eu coalition campaigned successfully for the Regulation on which the consultation is based.

BEREC guidelines.

Dear Oettinger, dear Deutsche Telekom, dear Vodafone, dear Telefónica,

Get. Fucked.

Sincerely yours,

The European consumer.

 

[Dr. Benton Quest]

Why can't we be Europe

 

[Nerdkiller]

Shame you won't be able to enjoy perks like this, UK.

 

[la_briola]

semi on-topic: as a German national I want to apologize to everyone in the EU for Oettinger.

Julia Reda is awesome, shes fighting the good fight. I enjoyed her explaining what she does on the Logbuch:Netzpolitik podcast some time ago.

 

[YianGaruga]

Hell yeah

Europe is the greatest nation on earth

 

[Shard]

Why can't we be Europe

We kind of already fought this battle.

 

[Funky Papa]

Shame you won't be able to enjoy perks like this, UK.

I can already hear the thumping sound of the Remain camp banging their heads against the wall.

But who knows, maybe the UK will surprise everybody with some awesome net neutrality legislation of their own. Although considering the Tories' inclinations and known precedents, I somehow doubt it.

 

[Kinyou]

Remember how Oettinger called net neutrality a "taliban-like issue"? Guy is kind of a clown.

 

[Shiggy]

Remember how Oettinger called net neutrality a "taliban-like issue"? Guy is kind of a clown.

He actually is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RrEQ8Ovw-Q

 

[oti]

MY EU BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We, as a nation, are so so sorry for Oettinger. Please forgive us.

 

[kadotsu]

MY EU BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We, as a nation, are so so sorry for Oettinger. Please forgive us.

Yup, this is what happens if you have to get someone out of domestic politics because he is just too incompetent.

 

[CheDominik]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Günther_Oettinger#Eulogy_controversy

Hans Filbinger was an opponent of the Nazi-Regime!

 

[la_briola]

MY EU BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

We, as a nation, are so so sorry for Oettinger. Please forgive us.

We are, after all, the worlds best at Fremdschämen.

 

[CheDominik]

We are, after all, the worlds best at Fremdschämen.

That word is so much better than cringe or cringeworthy. You shoould adopt that word in your language GAF!

 

[notaskwid]

That word is so much better than cringe or cringeworthy. You shoould adopt that word in your language GAF!

There is actually have the same expression in portuguese.

 

[Ban Puncher]

 

[KDR_11k]

One advantage of the EU: You have 28 member states worth of populations that can protest against laws that screw over the public.

 

[freeofgreed]

God I am so fucking jealous of the EU when it comes to consumer protection.

 

[PdotMichael]

A neutral Internet isn't good enough for the UK, only one which favours British data packages is good enough.

 

[YianGaruga]

A neutral Internet isn't good enough for the UK, only one which favours British data packages is good enough.

Honestly I'm sick and tired of foreign data packets entering my computer at all

 

[KDR_11k]

A neutral Internet isn't good enough for the UK, only one which favours British data packages is good enough.

Wouldn't surprise me if you see British politicians trying to convince their population that net neutrality is a bad thing and more regulatory overreach from the EU.

 

[Ardenyal]

We did it! (>'-')> <('-'<) ^(' - ')^ <('-'<) (>'-')>

 

[fushi]

I wonder if my homeboy Andrus Ansip was helping move this along or taking Oettinger's stance instead.

 

[Version 3.0]

Wouldn't surprise me if you see British politicians trying to convince their population that net neutrality is a bad thing and more regulatory overreach from the EU.

Of course. I mean, that's how Republicans spin it here in the US. I'm legitimately scared of how effective that argument could be: "regulated = not free" Free the internet! Ignorant fools unite to screw themselves!

By the way, this is the first time I've heard "lick your elbows". Interesting.

 

[Easy_D]

Thank you EU.

Of course. I mean, that's how Republicans spin it here in the US. I'm legitimately scared of how effective that argument could be: "regulated = not free" Free the internet! Ignorant fools unite to screw themselves!

By the way, this is the first time I've heard "lick your elbows". Interesting.

Yeah, people need to understand that everything is always regulated by someone. Now, do you want things to be regulated by people who represent you or by people who represent shareholders?

 

[Caayn]

Good, fuck the companies/people that wanted a world without net neutrality.

 

[capitalCORN]

Never relent, good citizens of the world! It's not just for the 1%. We too can have nice things!

 

[Frankfurter]

Amazing achievement. And this with Günther Oettinger being the digital Commissioner (sorry, that one is on Germany :/). Just imagine how well things could be with a competent digital Commissioner.

 

[GAMEPROFF]

 

[Septimus Prime]

A neutral Internet isn't good enough for the UK, only one which favours British data packages is good enough.

Don't they have last loop unbundling, which allows for actual competition? I would take that over net neutrality if I had to choose just one.

 

[oti]

Amazing achievement. And this with Günther Oettinger being the digital Commissioner (sorry, that one is on Germany :/). Just imagine how well things could be with a competent digital Commissioner.

How did the guy survive the competent hearing anyway? Why would Germany out of all nations get that resort? We're absolutely behind when it comes to web structure, we shouldn't be in that position.

 

[Souldriver]

The EU Institutions in general have a pretty great track record in defending the consumer and human rights. It's such a refreshing change from what you would expect from big political institutions.

 

[Des0lar]

PLAY THIS WHILE READING THIS THREAD

 

[HStallion]

We kind of already fought this battle.

The battle is far from over.

 

[spekkeh]

Awesome. It's still not strict enough, zero rating can fuck right off, but luckily the regulations allow individual countries such as the Netherlands to have a more strict net neutrality. Between this, Apple, and TTIP likely getting rekt, the EU is finally back to siding with the citizens.

 

[tuxfool]

Fuck regulators.

Spoiler

Not.

 

[nampad]

I still can't get over the fact that someone as unqualified as Oettinger has that position. Fortunately, someone else tries to stop him from doing a shitty move.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Get bent telecom cunts. A huge victory for us European consumers.

 

[show me your skeleton]

Don't they have last loop unbundling, which allows for actual competition? I would take that over net neutrality if I had to choose just one.

openreach maintain the network used by the vast majority of the country and it's pretty shit.
and there's definitely no need to just choose one.


also i can't wait for the UK to piss all over net neutrality

 

[Fiend]

I still can't get over the fact that someone as unqualified as Oettinger has that position. Fortunately, someone else tries to stop him from doing a shitty move.

EU is on a role today. I'm feeling for the anti Brexit crowd in the UK.

 

[Sesuadra]

As a German I apologise that the internet is still Neuland for most of our politicians.

 

[BrokenIcarus]

Damn is it just me or does the EU really pump out these great decisions overcoming huge corporate interests?

 

[JonnyDBrit]

You know, I'm actually curious about this: Since Article 50 hasn't been triggered yet, the UK would be... you know, subject to this, at least for now right?

 

[Alienfan]

That will do for today - Zero rating needs to go

 

[turmoil]

Bravo!

go fuck yourselves asshole telecoms

Congrats europeans

 

[Fallout-NL]

Dear Oettinger, dear Deutsche Telekom, dear Vodafone, dear Telefónica,

Get. Fucked.

Sincerely yours,

The European consumer.

Aw yiss.

 

[Maintenance]

I laughed more than I should at this.

Good job, EU.