EU unlikely to support ban on free unlimited Facebook, Spotify

European Union member states are unlikely to support an EU-wide ban on telecommunications companies offering online services such as Facebook and Spotify for free, according to a proposal by EU presidency Latvia.

So-called "zero-rating", where operators offer unlimited access to certain online services -- typically Facebook, music streaming or online television -- is seen as good for competition and innovation as well as more choice for consumers. But some consumer groups, Internet activists and member states consider this to be in breach of network neutrality since it makes some services more attractive than others and operators can choose to make their own services zero-rated, thereby distorting competition. A proposal on net neutrality by Latvia says that an explicit ban on positive price discrimination -- such as zero-rating -- was unlikely to gain the support of all members. Countries such as the Netherlands and Norway already have bans on price discrimination -- meaning operators cannot offer some services outside of a customer's data allowance -- but an EU-wide ban would extend that to all 28 member states. Leaving the choice to individual governments runs the risk of a patchwork of approaches across the EU, however, contrary to its aim to develop a single market in the telecoms sector.