Network neutrality from an innovation research perspective

In this article, arguments concerning innovation activities and innovation effects in the context of the network neutrality debate will be described and analysed. It will be shown that from an innovation research point of view, there is no single most important argument in favour or against network neutrality laws. This may be disappointing to a certain extent because everyone is looking for an argument that could definitely decide on the matter. However, in a convergent world, applications and networks increasingly depend on each other. Thus, a counting up of innovation effects of either area is not a suitable method to identify which one shall be privileged in the context of network neutrality regulation. Taking into account a convergence model of innovation it will be concluded that regulators shall not follow the simple logic of counting up innovation effects but that they have to strike a specific balance between restricting monopolistic tendencies of both network providers and big Internet firms, and safeguarding a field for experimentation with new technologies and applications.