How 'Zero-Rating' Offers Threaten Net-Neutrality In The Developing World

‘Zero-Rating’— the commercial practice whereby an internet service provider (ISP) doesn’t count the use of an app or service against your monthly data cap — has come under renewed scrutiny earlier in Feb when a study by digital rights organization Epicenter.works found that countries that allow its use see average data prices increase over time. The thing is, rather than spreading knowledge, zero-rating offers are often vectors of misinformation. At first sight, zero-rating offers look like a sweet deal for consumers and a noble effort to connect the world, but beyond appearances, they’re just a nasty business practice that distorts competition and cripples Internet access in the developing world.

[Davide Banis is an editor and media researcher based in the Netherlands]