" Right at this very moment, Indian telecom companies are lobbying the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India( TRAI) to enact a regulation in a way that will change the way Indians are using the internet forever."
- Tanmay Bhatt ( AIB- Save the internet)
Now, everybody knows how important the internet is in our daily lives whether it involves an adorable cat GIF or all the types of selfies you can find on Snapchat and Instagram, chatting on Whatsapp or Skype to that long lost relative who lives on the other side of the globe, losing track of time while watching hilarious Youtube videos, hashtagging the heck out of everything on twitter, and googling about the uttermost random things say for example Channing Tatum's ears - Yes, all this ( At the cheapest and fastest rate) is only possible here.
Don't worry, this is not a fourth grade essay on the boons of the internet. I just wanted to give you a gist of all the things you love about the internet before I made you realize the catastrophe that would unleash on us if our internet service providers (ISPs) were to start manipulating and controlling not only the amount and the speed of our data usage but also the manner in which we utilize it. Here's a news flash - this is exactly what is going to happen as telecom operators like Vodafone and Airtel are trying to pull strings with the TRAI to enable them to block apps and websites so that they can extort more money from consumers and businesses. Which means that they plan to rip us off even more!!!
Although the ' Airtel Zero' scheme which allows smartphone users free access to select websites and apps without any data charges seems like an innocent attempt to satisfy consumer needs doesn't it?Free internet is better than free food. Flipkart, for example could be accessed freely by Airtel users. But, even though you aren't paying for those data charges- someone is. Companies have to pay for the data consumed by the consumers across India. Well, it doesn't really matter as long as I'm not the one paying for it, right?While Big league players like Flipkart , Whatsapp, etc will flourish under such propositions at the same time start up businesses and companies that don't posses the same kind of financial support system will flush down the train.
Jon Bon Jovi once said that the internet and new social networking are new avenues for the next Bob Dylan to be born on. Yet, I wonder what would happen if the " next Bob Dylan" is asked to shell out immense bulk loads of cash just so that his audience can access his music freely. Can you imagine the no.of new artists, writers, bloggers, business men who will crash in the same way if they can't use the internet as a free platform to express themselves, their voices ,their art to you and the world at large?
But why should I care if it is only going to affect them? Consumers( like You & I) are also at stake here. If we don't stop the telecom operators' or ISPs' petition they can even charge sites like Youtube or Netflix for the lager sum of bandwidth they consume and eventually this additional cost will be pushed on to the consumers- that's you!!! Furthermore they can create slow and fast internet lanes which is a means to dominate the speed at which you access different websites. As a consequence as all websites won't be made able at the same speed, to do so you'll have to pay an additional sum. What now you think it's unfair to manipulate your access to the internet and your data usage so that the ISPs can thrive on your violation of consumer rights? Finally, you get it. But are we just going to cry and sit back and wait for ache din to come like some helpless damsel in distress in a corny fairy tale?
Here are two words that can save us- NET NEUTRALITY!
Don't be fooled by the boring aura those two words present- they are your fairy godmother in this urban corny fairy tale. Net neutrality prevents your ISP from maneuvering the way you choose to utilize data and access the internet. It keeps the internet- the free, undiscriminating platform it is to voice your opinions an share your thoughts, ideas, views and bleh, bleh, bleh. In short, it barricades the gold digging ISPs from encroaching your freedom as a consumer while approaching the internet.
" Oh. That sounds wonderful!" , right?Now you want net neutrality to be established in India and how can you make sure that it is ? Now, the TRAI knows that if they want Indians to ignore anything majorly important that threatens their rights, all they have to do is make it appear completely boring. So, the TRAI has released a consultation papers containing 20 questions elaborated in just about 118 perplexing pages. jeez. I would rather study my 12th grade physics textbooks before i go through those! Not to forget the TRAI wants you to submit your complaints before the 24th April or it it would give telecom operators free reign to charge the hell out of everything!!!
But that seems so complicated and the clocks ticking by pretty fast, right? Don't start hyperventilating yet. All you got to do is log into http://www.savetheinternet.in/ and in barely a minute and with just two clicks, you can send the TRAI a mail citing your complaints. Piece of cake , isn't it!!!
It is still going over your head ?Stand up comedians like AIB, John Oliver have made hilarious and simple videos to explain this whole shenanigan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfY1NKrzqi0&feature=youtu.be,
Also, if you want to save the internet tell as many people as you can. It's time to grow up and do something.They can ban all the beef they want but they can't touch our internet. We need to save the internet or else we led down internet ourselves!
that's true. we shall save the internet !
ReplyDeletelet's do it , then ;-)
ReplyDelete