On Tuesday 8 June, CERRE will host an online event to present and debate its new report “Device neutrality: openness, non-discrimination and transparency on mobile devices for general internet access”.

With mobile devices increasingly used to access the internet, addressing the accessibility, discoverability and non-discriminatory nature of content becomes crucial. The net neutrality debate is set in the context of an evolving internet ecosystem, which leads us to ask to what extent should the key pillars of net neutrality – openness, non-discrimination and transparency – apply to areas across the whole internet access value chain, such as the mobile operating system and app discovery layers?

The CERRE report analyses the internet access value chain and the trade-offs associated with non-neutrality with specific references to articles 5 and 6 of the European Commission’s Digital Markets Act. The report makes recommendations for policymakers to regulate the internet ecosystem without hindering innovation and investment.

Following a presentation of the report and its recommendations by the authors Jan Krämer and Richard Feasey, CERRE Tech, Media, Telecom & Mobility Director Lara Natale will moderate a discussion amongst regulatory authorities, key industry players and academic experts. Panellists will debate CERRE’s concrete recommendations and the regulation of mobile internet access devices, paying particular attention to the gatekeeping capacity of app stores, operating systems and browsers and the potential difference between the regulation of smartphones, versus laptops and desktops.

This webinar is free and open to all. There is no registration needed. The livestream will be available on Tuesday 8 June, 14:00 CEST, via the Zoom link and can be replayed on the CERRE YouTube channel after the livestream.