Should India Adopt the Net Neutrality Principle?
Introduction
- As the number of Internet users grows multifold across the world and specifically in India, the principle of net neutrality deserves proper attention and discussion.
- The issue of net neutrality is gaining much attention these days. Net neutrality is a principle that stipulates that the Internet service providers should give their customers access to data without giving special preferences to the source of data, particular products, or websites.
- Net neutrality also involves providing a level-playing field on the Internet. This means all the websites exist on similar basis; no website is given faster data speed or charged extra for providing the same speed.
- Main argument of the essay: Net neutrality is desired, as it provides non-discriminatory access to the Internet for everyone, but merely adopting this principle does not address the issues of government surveillance and opportunities of providing free Internet through selective data access.
Body
- Need for net neutrality worldwide:
- Without net neutrality, Internet service providers (ISPs) can charge different websites differently and the increased costs can be passed on to the consumers.
- ISPs will be able to create fast and slow Internet lines without net neutrality, which means some websites will load slow and some will load fast. Consumers may also have to pay extra for faster lane access.
- OTT (over the top) service charges: Due to net neutrality, consumers are able to make free calls via WhatsApp and Skype using the existing data speed. In the absence of neutrality of data, ISPs can charge for Internet calling services.
- Net neutrality helps small business owners and startups compete in the online marker, as they can simply use Internet services for their businesses at par with other existing experienced and wealthy users such as Amazon.
Why should India adopt net neutrality principles:
- As the Indian government promotes ‘Make in India’ and startups for job creation, it becomes important for their success to have neutral Internet for the reasons mentioned above.
- In a country like India, which has low per capita income, free calling and messaging services offered by apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram are helpful to many. Maintaining net neutrality will ensure their continued benefits for people.
- India is the largest user market for WhatsApp and the highest video calling minutes on this app are noted from India. Clearly, it is in interest of all these app users to have all the data traffic treated the same way.
- As a welfare measure, the government needs to ensure that consumers are nor overcharged by good and services providers. This applies to Internet service providers (ISPs) as well, and one way to stop ISPs from overcharging consumers is to maintain net neutrality.
- The Indian Constitution grants freedom of speech to its citizens through Article 19. Net neutrality helps protect this freedom as the Internet content cannot be blocked or banned by non-government entities without reason.
Concerns about net neutrality:
- Although the net neutrality exists in principle, it does not stop the government from screening and banning content. In 2011, the Indian government asked Google and Yahoo to screen their content and remove objectionable and defamatory content.
- Telecom companies are facing high revenue fall due to the popularity of WhatsApp, Viber, and other such apps. Their concerns should also be taken into account.
- Facebook through its ‘Inrernet.org’ platform and Airtel through its ‘Airtel Zero’ platform aimed to give free access to certain websites and content, but this was banned in India due to net neutrality concerns. This free content might have helped the poor to get access to at least some form of Internet rather than paying for neutral net.
Conclusion
- The net neutrality principle is supported worldwide to provide a level playing field to all players and free access to data for all websites and apps.
- In India’s case, the adoption of net neutrality will boost job creation, protect consumer interests, and promote freedom of speech.
- However, while maintaining net neutrality, there is a need to address the concerns of undue government interference in data access, opportunities of providing free Internet to the poor, and interest of other stakeholders such as telecoms.
Notes
- Keywords: India, net neutrality
- It is a highly debated topic in current times and therefore all sides of the argument with current examples should be considered.
- Although global considerations can be discussed, the main focus has to be on the relevance of net neutrality principles to India.