This article is written by Rimjhim Vaishnavi, a student of NUSRL.
Today the world is surrounded by internet, not only for business but for education, for shopping, for food, for travelling and so on. Internet has made everyone’s life way to easier but technical. What would happen if this internet would be charged for each site you browse differently, you would be charged separately for the YouTube, for Google, for Facebook and all different sites. Net neutrality can bring work and life of person at halt, but then also few people are aware about the concept of net neutrality. What it is? What is its role? Therefore this post will deal about the concept of net neutrality.
What is net neutrality?
Net neutrality basically deals with the principle where the web users are charged on the overall data they use and not on content separately. In general terms net neutrality means that all the data will be equal on internet and there must be no discrimination on the basis of content designed by government or by the Internet Service Providers. So from it if we imagine the situation where there is no net neutrality, it would be like for certain amount for example for 350 we will only be able to access Indian websites and for other countries website we will have to pay more.
Net neutrality in India
There are many countries that have legal backing to net neutrality or have separate legislation relating to it like Chile who enacted Net Neutrality law in 2010, Netherland where Net Neutrality law came into existence in 2011 apart from these two countries Brazil and U.S.A. enacted Net Neutrality Laws in 2014. But in India there is no legislation for net neutrality, but then also the ISP in India follows the concept of net neutrality. In India not only the leading corporates, different news editorials and even the politicians are favouring the concept of net neutrality.
In India, there is a vast debate over the topic of net neutrality were the general masses are supporting it but at the same time telecom companies are opposing it. Airtel has come up with its Airtel Zero Programme, were the programme deals with providing the consumers free services and apps only when those service providers have paid them money. This initially seemed to be a win-win situation when it is seen in the short term preview. In long term it cannot be stated a win -win situation. All other telecom companies would follow this program which means that Skype, Whatsapp, Flipkart and other will have to pay every telecom company for reaching customers all over India. Due to which internet services will become more expensive and also will decrease competition as due to high expenses new start-ups would not be possible. Also the telecom companies could regulate the working of different sites. Initially flipkart was a part of Airtel Zero Programme, but latter it stood up with net neutrality.
Apart from it what is recently grabbing the eyes of every internet user is the consultation paper which has been released by the Telecom regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for regulating OTT (over the top) services, which relates to those apps which we can use in our phone like Whatsapp or Skype. This will end the net neutrality. Still a debate is going on over it.
Pros of net neutrality
- It enables the web user to connect freely to whatever site they want. The government or the Internet Service Provider (ISP) is not bothered about the content.
- It promotes different platforms of globalization, may it be in field of sharing ideas or other trading work. Freedom of speech is also being promoted through net neutrality, just think over it if for different sites different amount would have been charged, it would prohibit us from enjoying our right to speech and expression.
- Net neutrality also promotes innovations on web, it provides platform for different start-ups.
- It keeps in control the ISP, if net neutrality abolished then the ISP will acquire the power of determining internet tariff, which could be easily misused.
- Net neutrality promotes free access to different information.
- In the absence of net neutrality the telecom would get the power to regulate the speed of different sites on the basis of money they receive from it.
- Net neutrality also ensures and promotes competitive market place
Cons of net neutrality
Where everything has its pros and cons in the same manner net neutrality also has some cons.
- As net neutrality treats every site equally, illegal downloading of movies, software and songs is being increased day by day.
- On one hand net neutrality provides justice to all the sites by treating them equally on the other hand net neutrality is injustice to the telecom companies, by providing where a person can make free call on any network for which the telecom companies have spent billions.
- Restriction to some extend is essential for effective working as well as for the security and of general public.
Absence of net neutrality
If the principle of net neutrality is prohibited, on one hand it will benefit the telecom industries, as they will then be the gatekeeper of valuable resources and can at the same time regulate the working of different sites. But on the other hand it will hamper the general masses like the students who totally depend on online resources; it will also close doors for new entrepreneurs and will also regulate new innovation. Even if people have data pack they will have to pay extra for browsing different sites. Basically absence of net neutrality will take away the openness of internet which is being ensured now.
Conclusion
Net neutrality ensure net transparency and openness of internet, in era where maximum work depends on internet, just to provide justice to few telecom people abolishing net neutrality would be injustice for rest. But if we see the other side, some regulation is required. Hence, the government should come up with such legislation which would neither take away the net neutrality all together at the same time could impose some regulation over the big sites, to ensure their working and earning.
