Tribune. The promises of 5G seem endless thanks to access to speeds greater than 4G, and especially thanks to the possibilities offered by the Internet of Things (in English “Internet of Things”, or IoT, that is to say say the connection of objects to digital technologies multiplying their uses). But although 5G is being praised as a new technological revolution, it presents major potential risks, whether in terms of data confidentiality, tracing of individuals but also the fragmentation of an increasingly less free internet, at the same time. danger of the very concept of Net neutrality.
5G is presented as an ideal solution to deploy broadband in white areas, mainly rural. It is also presented as a solution to connect autonomous vehicles and a multitude of IoT devices. However, the added value for consumers is not yet clear.
The speed of 5G remains much lower than that of the bandwidth of technologies like fiber. The maximum speed of 5G is 10 gigabits, while that of wired networks is 50 gigabits and that of fiber is 100 terabits.
If some networks are administered by foreign companies, it is impossible to know what they can do with this data.
This technology also introduces vulnerabilities that include a high risk of data exposure, such as geographic location, tracking of calls and SMS sent, sites and applications visited. Even more worrying, 5G will not solve any of the data protection and privacy risks already present on traditional cellular networks. It will also introduce new control problems for users.
The risk of a monopoly
But the most annoying thing is that it accentuates the slow disappearance of the concept of “network neutrality”, one of the founding principles of the Internet, which allows the freedom to consult, share and circulate information without any discrimination. Today, states impose more and more freedom-killing rules on the Internet. The risk is above all of seeing the creation of a technological monopoly of communications on an international scale, by imposing even more control and surveillance, without guaranteeing the security of individuals.
In addition, 5G offers the possibility of setting up networks controlled by intermediaries, or quite simply by specific States. This would mark the end of a single network, free, universal and accessible to all without restriction. These environments, which operate in silos, pose major problems in terms of privacy, security, respect for human rights, but also freedom of expression, simply because of the lack of transparency and accountability.
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