Net neutrality just got a boost in Europe, thanks to a consumer rights committee

A committee of the European Parliament has almost unanimously voted through network neutrality proposals that had been proposed by digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes -- but not without some amendments that seriously tighten up the language.

For the most part, these changes will please net neutrality advocates. As the text now stands, it looks very much like Internet service providers and content providers have lost the explicit right -- included in the original proposals -- to strike deals between one another for “specialized services”. This doesn’t mean they can’t strike deals, but it does mean that ability is not entrenched in Europe-wide law. The amendments also place stricter conditions on the deals that can be struck. It also appears that there will be stricter limitations on how internet traffic can be shaped or limited -- only for transient network congestion and specific court orders, and not for crime-fighting or at the whim of the national government.