Neutralità della rete, tariffe gratuite e giardini recintati: le difficili scelte della libertà intellettuale

Abstract

Net neutrality is the principle according to which all data transmitted through the internet should be managed in the same way by internet service providers (ISPs), without favouring or disadvantaging any type of content, service or user. A particularly discussed way of favouring contents and services offered by specific companies is the so-called zero rating, which consists in the possibility of accessing the internet for free, but only for certain sites or services managed by these companies. IFLA, with two documents published in 2016 and 2018, has definitely taken a stand in favour of net neutrality and against zero rating, in the name of the intellectual freedom of internet users, who should not be driven by economic convenience to prefer certain contents compared to others. The author of this article does not fully agree with the position of IFLA (which, though driven by noble intentions, risks aggravating the digital divide and undermining the principles underlying open access and library services) and proposes to invest rather more energy in promoting free universal access to the entire internet (or, at least, to the public administration’s online sites and services) financed by public bodies, which could be a support to intellectual freedom far more effective than any fight against zero rating.