As internet usage grows, increasing power in the hands of ISPs could pose threats to open competition and free speech
A growing issue in the West is coming to India: the threat to net neutrality. The concept of net neutrality is based on the idea that companies which offer internet access should treat all internet content equally, in terms of speed, pricing, and access. It is important to protect this principle because if ISPs and telecom operators use their connectivity to influence how and what users consume, it can result in either censorship by a private company or anti-competitive practices.
The internet was built as an open network, where information could flow freely. In this environment, innovation, entrepreneurship, and democracy have thrived all over the world. Governments, including that of India, have rightly limited its openness when it violates laws, such as defamation or piracy, but such restrictions are imposed only in public interest. The challenge to net neutrality is that the decisions of what content to censor or to give preference to, lies in the hands of ISPs, which are predominantly corporate entities. In other words, the gatekeepers of free speech and open competition are private companies, whose job is to make profit.
Experts say net neutrality is essential for freedom of speech, and that giving any power to an ISP or telco to limit or favour certain content will violate this fundamental principle. Clear guidelines should be put in place to ensure network operators do not deprive citizens of free speech and choice.
“The moment an ISP or any other entity controls users’ access to internet, that entity infringes on the freedom of speech and freedom of choice. The recent Arab Spring and movements across Libya, Egypt and Syria show you cannot put curbs on freedom of people to access and use internet to drive change,’’ said Ranbir Singh, vice-chancellor, National Law University.
“Net neutrality is essential for continued economic development of any country. ISPs should manage internet traffic for operational reasons but should not discriminate one type of content from another,” said Tony Hill, managing director, IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6). The net neutrality debate first erupted in the United States, when AT&T suggested it would like to charge some web companies more for preferential treatment of their traffic. Consumer advocates and web giants like Google and Amazon cried foul, saying it’s a bedrock principle of the net that all traffic be treated equally.
Neutrality advocates say that global telecom companies and ISPs seek to be ‘internet gatekeepers’, and want to decide the speed of the websites and apps on their network. They want to charge content providers to provide speedy delivery of their data, and give preference to their own services and content, at the expense of their competitors. These activists allege that phone and cable companies are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the US to lobby against net neutrality.
The advocates of net neutrality have influential backers as well. Vinton Cerf, considered as ‘father of Internet’, Tim Berners Lee, the creator of the web, US President Barack Obama and others have spoken out in favour of net neutrality. A number of web sites, such as savetheinternet.com and others serve as advocates of internet neutrality.
“Net neutrality is a must for the growth of internet in India as in the coming years people will be using internet more and for multiple purposes than at any other time in the past. As we become more dependant on the internet, the need for neutrality only goes up,” said National Law University’s Singh.
But as India’s internet subscriber base grows — there are already more than 100 million users — and more people use the net to complete their transactions, like buying railway tickets, books, music, access information or share files — there are concerns that if the principles of net neutrality are not followed, ISPs could control what you can and cannot surf.
“India presents a fertile ground for potential abuse of net neutrality given the growth potential of m-commerce and e-commerce,” said Pavan Duggal, advocate, Supreme Court of India and president, mobilelaw.net. Duggal said. ‘‘India is a unique market as most users will surf the internet on smart phones rather than on fixed broadband. There are more than 900 million mobile subscribers and “mobile internet is a reality today. Users should not be a hostage to service providers’ interests,” added Duggal.
The issue is of crucial importance to India, where bandwidth allowances for consumers are among the lowest in the world. In the US, unlimited bandwidth plans at high speeds are the norm, whereas in India, nearly all plans via wired or wireless have limits on consumption. ISPs and telecom operators may use these restrictions as a reason why they don’t support net neutrality and why certain content should get preferential access over other content. However, the solution should be to grow bandwidth connectivity and allow for a wider, freer flow of information, so that consumers have access to the open internet without restriction and entrepreneurs do not have to risk stifled competition by corporate powers.
The Indian arms of Microsoft and Yahoo! are in favour of net neutrality. “Microsoft believes widespread access to high-speed internet is a powerful force for economic and social progress and supports policies that expand access around the world. In defining policies to promote broadband, the government and the industry must strike the appropriate balance to enable end-users to freely access the internet and use the devices and services they choose, while ensuring that the network operators continue to have sufficient economic incentive to continue investing in their networks,” said a Microsoft spokesman.
Yahoo! India’s vice-president (service engineering) Suresh Hosakoppal said his company supported net neutrality and expressed concerns about ISPs having the potential to block genuine sites. “ISPs can use techniques including including Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), header identification or filtering packets. The reason could be to check viruses or copy right violations (as in case of blocking pirated movies), but ISPs can block or slow down genuine sites as well, impacting neutrality,” he said.
Local ISPs too say they back fair access to customers. “It is the duty of the ISP to provide fair access. A services provider cannot decide what a user surfs, as long as it is legal,” said Jasjit Sawhney, founder & CMD, Net4U, an applications and network services provider.
Internet & Mobile Services Association of India president Subho Ray said as of now, there are more ‘pipes’ than content in India. “But when the network is congested, neutrality will be an issue. ISPs should facilitate all legitimate internet traffic rather block it for commercial or other interests,” said Ray.
NETTING A FAIR DEAL
What is Net Neutrality? COMPANIES WHICH offer internet access should treat all internet content equally, in terms of its speed, pricing, and access
What are the Challenges? ISPs MAY decide what content to censor or give preference to TELECOM COMPANIES and ISPs try to be ‘internet gatekeepers’ and decide the speed of the websites and apps on their network. ISPs WANT to charge content providers to provide speedy delivery of their data, and give preference to their own services and content
Why Can There be Abuse in India?
INDIA IS unique as most users surf internet on smartphones rather than on fixed broadband BANDWIDTH ALLOWANCES for consumers in India are among the lowest in the world ISPs AND telecom operators may use bandwidth restrictions as a reason for not supporting net neutrality
(ET120327)
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