There are few more enticing visions than that of the free and equal internet. Instead of a central authority or company deciding what anybody can put on a website or offer as a service, anything goes.

Almost as remarkable is the way that the internet – or the way that most people experience it – has steadily sped up. Things have changed from the days of narrowband modems and sites that would only load painfully slowly. Consumers in many countries now have extremely fast broadband connections that can stream video clips faithfully.