In a plan to digitalize the EU into operating in a single market, the European Commission says it's looking at ways to increase public trust by making services more transparent in how they route users through the web, whilst also removing illegal content.
Speaking at a previous event in Brussels, Ansip said he sees no difference between the EU and Federal Communication Commission in the US in their approach to net neutrality.
The approach in the US however, has been reported as being 'radical' by The Register.
"What the net neutrality rules really demonstrate — and a little sooner than we are all comfortable with — is that a new status quo is emerging. And that status quo is Google, Netflix, Facebook et al."
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and US territories.
Meanwhile, European Union competition authorities are investigating whether internet giant Google is abusing its dominant position in the digital market.
Members of European Digital Rights, a not-for-profit international organization, work to defend civil rights in the information society.
83% of users believe access to the Internet should be a basic human right. https://t.co/knQSGhReuv #CIGIIPSOS
— natalihelberger (@nhelberger) February 2, 2015
Data retention requirements, copyright and fair use restrictions, cybercrime, filtering or blocking of internet content are just some of the regulations and developments that fall under the EDRi's watchful eye.
A spokesman from EDRi told Sputnik News its main concerns over the future of a digital single market are "that internet provider liability will not be changed in a way which will force internet companies to police, to block or filter content, contrary to basic principles of International and European human rights law," adding that if Europe's copyright framework is to be updated at "long last", it must be done "in a way which means that it is fit for purpose in the digital age."
Choose Open Document Format: A little change, a big saving — see the infographic http://t.co/qhlm9zf3zX #DFD2015 pic.twitter.com/8CMeRAI9Ih
— OpenForum Europe (@OpenForumEurope) March 25, 2015
why #openstandards matter — an explanatory graphic for Document Freedom Day #DFD2015 pic.twitter.com/ii9mDeTAos
— Steve Woods (@wood5y) March 25, 2015
Document Freedom Day is a global campaign 'for document liberation by local groups throughout the world' which this year falls on March 25. It's the international day of Open Standards for 'all aspects of our digital communication and information accessibility'.
According to documentfreedom.org, "more and more communication is transmitted via electronic data. At the same time more and more information is provided in digital formats…Various stakeholders try to exploit these factors…We can get rid of restrictions and vendor lock-ins if we keep on using Open Standards."
Digital Future Could Be Dark
"The UN and the EU are also listed as espionage targets, with issues of economic stability as the primary concern," Der Spiegal reports.
Meanwhile opportunities offered by the digital single market could, according to the European Commission, be worth up to 2.5 billion euro.
