Topic: Net Neutrality
Country: Guatemala
Delegate Name: Anton Ludwig
School: East Grand Rapids High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Guatemala position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The internet has become a pivotal tool in the modern world. It is now used daily by people all over the world for an incredible variety of tasks. However, as the internet grows, rules and regulations are bound to be established. One issue is network neutrality: the premise that all data should be treated the same, and some should not be favored over any other. This issue mainly concerns internet service providers, and whether or not they should be able to regulate information.
Net neutrality is an issue that affects the way people will be able to use the internet and the way the internet will grow as a service. Having net neutrality will stimulate internet service provider competition and drive entrepreneurship. In Guatemala, only 27.1% of the population used the internet at all in 2015. Guatemala wishes to make this number grow, and hopes to expand the opportunities for all its citizens with the internet. Without net neutrality, the internet could severely suffer from lack of growth.
Guatemala currently does not have laws concerning net neutrality, but hopes for a resolution that supports it. Guatemala believes that having a free internet is essential for continued economic growth, as it spurs entrepreneurs and competition between internet service providers. Guatemala would like to see resolutions that encourage user adoption and expansion of the incredible resources a free internet provides, and looks forward to keeping one of the most powerful tools available open and neutral.
Main Sources:
1. CIA World Factbook
2. TheOpenInter.net
