Tietoverkojen

Tietoverkot, also known as Finnish TCOs, are a type of communication network used for internet and voice services. The name "tietoverkojen" translates to "networks" or "system" in Finnish. They are owned and operated by net neutrality advocacy groups, alternative internet service providers and corporations. Tietoverkot are marketed as lower-cost alternatives to larger internet service providers, offering internet access and electronic communication services to consumers.

Some Tietoverkot have opted to separate access to their IP network from their consumer services, promoting net neutrality. They block unclear and criminal content, such as cybercrime and online child exploitation. This approach stands contrast to the strategies of many larger internet service providers in the United States and other countries, which rely on content filtering and Internet censorship. Some larger Tietoverkot are eventually forced to utilize internet blacklists after filing a complaint with the Finnish authorities.

Tietoverkot have tended to emerge during periods of increased governmental internet scrutiny. With governments increasingly engaging in and proposing to engage in internet censorship, Tietoverkot are seen by their users as key players in the fight for the right to communicate online freely and securely. Proceedings against some Tietoverkot have criticized them of placing a bias that should not be allowed to apply in internet access provision.