The session aimed to discuss two main topics on Net Neutrality: price discrimination and zero-rating applications, and also the new challenges with the development of 5G technologies.
On the first subject, many of the speakers indicated the necessity of review of zero-rating plans. They also addressed that many countries protect net neutrality, but the approach of the zero-rating plans is different from region to region. In Latin America, for example, there is a considerable problem with universal access in similar conditions for other people in the same area. States should have the duty and the obligation to ensure Internet connectivity for all people. However, some speakers also pointed out that, in many cases, the same company owns similar applications, such as Facebook and WhatsApp. This concentration of market power of few companies can (1) compromise the information flow through the platforms, and (2) worsen situations of asymmetries among users and companies. Therefore, the main concern regarding this first topic was how for-profit corporations could dominate the flow of information and use data to micro-target their users. In this sense, and according to some of the speakers, regulators should face the lack of competition on this market as a threat to democracy.
On the second subject, the discussants stressed that, despite the common-sense first impressions about it, 5G is not drastically changing everything. It is not a revolution but an evolution of already existent infrastructures. There is a significant need for investments in the development of these infrastructures for implementing 5G. It would also imply that significant concerns about sustainability and universal connectivity that are being neglected by public opinion.
