34 NGOs call for protections to net neutrality amid calls for big tech to shoulder network costs

Digital rights activists have warned that EU plans to force tech giants to contribute towards the costs of telco networks would threaten net neutrality. 

The comments come from an open letter addressed to European Commission digital chief Margrethe Vestager and EU industry chief Thierry Breton. It includes the signatures of 34 NGOs from 17 countries, which include European Digital Rights, Civil Liberties Union for Europe, ARTICLE 19 and Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Vestager last month suggested that big tech firms like Netflix, Meta and Google should contribute to the costs of network infrastructure. This is a position that has long been called for by telco operators. 

The letter warns that commitments to net neutrality could be watered down in the event of a deal with big tech to fund networks. 

It said: “Charging content and application providers for the use of internet infrastructure would undermine and conflict with core net neutrality protections in the European Union. The EU’s net neutrality law allows Europeans to use the bandwidth they buy from their ISPs however they want – whether for Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, or for a small, local site or service.

“The EU’s net neutrality law allows Europeans to use the bandwidth they buy from their ISPs however they want – whether for Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, or for a small, local site or service.”