In the debate about who should pay to provide high-speed broadband Internet access to all 500 million EU residents, Internet giants like Google and Facebook are often accused of failing to contribute their fair share. Is this criticism warranted?
LONDON – Among the many challenges facing the new European Commission is determining how to provide ultra-fast broadband Internet access to all 500 million European Union residents without raising taxes or bankrupting Europe’s telecommunications companies. This imperative has led many to demand larger contributions from Internet giants like Google, Netflix, and Facebook, which are frequently criticized for failing to pull their weight – and even lambasted as “free-riders,” intent on pillaging European assets and markets. Is this criticism warranted?
LONDON – Among the many challenges facing the new European Commission is determining how to provide ultra-fast broadband Internet access to all 500 million European Union residents without raising taxes or bankrupting Europe’s telecommunications companies. This imperative has led many to demand larger contributions from Internet giants like Google, Netflix, and Facebook, which are frequently criticized for failing to pull their weight – and even lambasted as “free-riders,” intent on pillaging European assets and markets. Is this criticism warranted?