Let's say it from the very beggining: Net Neutrality is good. Well, at least is "the least bad". But is it sacred?
The Net Neutrality debate has been developed around the pressure telcos to manage the bandwidth to maximize profit and many other reasons. Supporters of the Net Neutrality appeal to freedom and too other many arguments you may find out there (see recommended readings).
I have some questions rised up by the cultural diversity debate.
My first question would be: is there a right by States to tax audiovisual Internet sites profits to promote "national" content?
The point is: if I set up an enterprise in Canada to webcast or to sell audiovisual content through internet, I will (proudly) be obliged to pay my taxes to Canada Revenue. Whereas if I am a Canadian buying a film at amazon.com, Canada Revenue will not get a single centime from them.
And the same goes to large free-to-consume audiovisual sites. Joost or Youtube make large profits from around the world but all profits goes to the same place.
I am aware most people would argue that thanks to NN it is possible to make the same thing from anywhere else in the world so it is a free-trade and open market that might promote cultural diversity. But it is clear that the cultural domination comes from the USA audiovisual industry. So, the question is: could we implement to the Internet the same policy the CRTC applies to the Cable and Satellite industry? We could oblige Youtube to localize in Canada, so they pay the taxes they get from Canadian consumers, so we can reinvest in Canadian content, or…
Two elements to consider:
- The Net Neutrality is being undermined by the audiovisual industry through the rights management. We have recently seen the lock out of Pandora's site. But there are lots of others like Disney.com, blogtv.ca and BBC.co.uk (in the case of soccer matches, that affects me) which cannot be accessed from abroad.
- The Net Neutrality is already challenged in the gambling sector. Countries like Australia, Austria and France block internet gambling site to prevent their citizens to participate in what is a State monopole.
Recommended readings:
