[bestbits] Net Neutrality in Senegal? Bad bill presented

[Gus Rossi]

Hi everyone,

I've read that Senegal is discussing new telecommunications law, with
implications for net neutrality.  This is the original text
<http://cticdakar.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=41682d288cc415e665c90fd35&id=c17cb643f4&e=78f73eb4fe>
(french).
ASUTIC, a local NGO, is worried
<http://asutic.org/fr/Le-Ministere-des-postes-et-telecommunications-legalise-la-censure-d%27internet-nos-libertes-menacees>
about
the Bill.

*I am specially concerned because the last paragraph of Article 28 of the
proposed bill reads, that otherwise establishes a decent outline for net
neutrality, reads:*

*L'Autorité de régulation peut autoriser ou imposer toute mesure de gestion
du trafic qu'elle juge utile pour, notamment, préserver l'équilibre
économique et la concurrence dans le secteur des communications
électroniques et veiller au traitement équitable de services similaires.*

*In English: **The Regulatory Authority may authorize or impose any traffic
management measure it deems necessary to, inter alia, preserve the economic
equilibrium and competition in the electronic communications sector and
ensure the fair treatment of similar services.*

This is problematic because it advances the free-rider fallacy about OTTs
and breaks the net neutrality principle. It would be bad if this kind of
language that undermines net neutrality starts spreading across the region
and the world.

The Senegalese Ministry of Telecommunications (which webpage was down
today, the irony) is holding a public consultation. I did some reading (my
french is not perfect) and people can email their comments on the bill to
mamoune.ngom at gouv.sn

Does anyone know more about what's going on in Senegal with this bill?
Anyone doing anything? Sorry I dont have more actionable items right now!

----
# # #
# • #
# #

*Gus Rossi*
Global Policy Director (202) 861-0020 (x123) | (202) 651 1337
<(202)%651-1337> (mobile) | @agustinrs <https://twitter.com/agustinrs>
*Public Knowledge* | @publicknowledge <https://twitter.com/publicknowledge>
 | www.publicknowledge.org
1818 N St. NW, Suite 410 | Washington, DC 20036 | CFC 12259
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.igcaucus.org/pipermail/bestbits/attachments/20171108/ef97a602/attachment.htm>