Network Neutrality

Had garage company Google had a chance to supplant 1990s' market leader Altavista if Internet service providers (ISPs) had exclusively offered Altavista as search engine to their customers at that time? The legitimacy of exclusive deals as opposed to «network neutrality», meaning that all the data passing through an ISP's network has to be treated equally, is one of the subjects of a fierce political debate.
Supporters of network neutrality warn that violations of the neutrality principle might seriously impair the Internet's capability to foster technical progress or even breach basic rights of Internet users. Network neutrality opponents emphasize the ISPs' freedom to decide what to do with their networks and the mere necessity to amortize the high expenditures for their broadband infrastructure. Some also argue that ISPs cannot afford to violate network neutrality at all due to competitive pressure.
This book introduces to this debate from an economic and legal perspective. It discusses arguments for and against network neutrality regulation and presents a possible legislative approach.
Dr. Simon Schlauri is private lecturer at the University of Zurich and attorney at law.