May Day, May Day, May Day! Net Neutrality is in Danger
Don’t look around, look into the screen. Yes into your PC screens, your smartphones, tablets, iPhones, iPads, laptops. The internet is under threat in India. With the rise of online services offered by the internet, we can clearly see the downfall of the glory of the telecom operators.
To resist the fact of their cheap service, the Telecom operators have gone to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to allow them to block apps and websites and charge handsome money from both consumers and business to the deter users from using such free services.
As we all know, internet has changed the modern world and how the world is just within your palms. The threat has provoked people from a cross section of society including inert politicians, who were not known for taking any kind of criticism lightly, and celebrities are rallying up to save the future of the nation, The Indian Internet. To support the campaign to save Net Neutrality, thousands of Indians have voiced their support and the number is growing every minute.
The Indians have responded effectively by sending over 1 lakh emails to TRAI over the issue through the website savetheinternet.in. Over 27,000 e-mails are said to be in favour of net neutrality. The emails have been sent in response to the regulator’s call for public consultation. The scheduled government deadline for sending in feedback will lapse in a week. The idea of net neutrality or free and equal Internet to all has gathered a wide attention from across the globe.
Countries like the US, Chile, Netherlands and Brazil have separate Net Neutrality laws that dont allow discrimination of Internet content or charge users differently based on the content, site, or platform they consume, back in India, TRAI has also asked for mass feedback to help formulate regulations for consuming the Internet.
Though consumers are in favour of net neutrality, but telecom companies are standing on one leg against the concept of Net Neutrality. Owing to the notion that bringing equality of Internet is cutting down their prospective revenue from the OTT services that are offered through their network, including apps such as WhatsApp, Flipkart, Skype, etc.
Net neutrality means when a service provider sells you data, you have the freedom to choose how you are going to use the data pack. The idea of Net Neutrality is that the Internet Service Provider, from whom you buy your internet pack, should not under any circumstance be able to control your freedom to surf, download or upload. It is up to you, the consumer, how you wish to spend the data that you have bought from the Internet Service Provider.
If you value your freedom of choice and favour net neutrality, join the savetheinternet campaign and do your bit for INDIA.
