he European Commission is fond of declaring its commitment to the free and open internet. As recently as February, in answer to a question tabled at the European Parliament, a Commission spokesperson declared: “The European Union supports a vision of the internet as a single and unfragmented, open, neutral, free, and secure network, supporting permissionless innovation, privacy and user empowerment, where human rights and fundamental freedom fully apply.”
But in practice, things aren’t looking quite so certain.
...
For example, the country code top level domain .tv is used throughout Europe and the world for broadcast entertainment, despite formally being designated to the island country of Tuvalu.
The boundary between European and global internet infrastructure providers is often blurry, if it is there at all. Imagine how quickly the internet would fragment if every region or country defined its own rules for how global services should be governed.
The potential for damage is real: global internet infrastructure providers including domain name system services and certificate authorities may opt to leave the European market to avoid the complications NIS2 rules would create, reducing the number of suppliers.
Those that do choose to stay but become non-compliant may suddenly find that they are barred from the European market, and their customers may find a service they depend on is no longer available.
This could also lead to market consolidation and impede the growth and availability of internet infrastructure - much of which is currently provided for free by non-profits.
read more (euronews)
But in practice, things aren’t looking quite so certain.
...
For example, the country code top level domain .tv is used throughout Europe and the world for broadcast entertainment, despite formally being designated to the island country of Tuvalu.
The boundary between European and global internet infrastructure providers is often blurry, if it is there at all. Imagine how quickly the internet would fragment if every region or country defined its own rules for how global services should be governed.
The potential for damage is real: global internet infrastructure providers including domain name system services and certificate authorities may opt to leave the European market to avoid the complications NIS2 rules would create, reducing the number of suppliers.
Those that do choose to stay but become non-compliant may suddenly find that they are barred from the European market, and their customers may find a service they depend on is no longer available.
This could also lead to market consolidation and impede the growth and availability of internet infrastructure - much of which is currently provided for free by non-profits.
read more (euronews)