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Net Neutrality And The Internet

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Net Neutrality
What is Net Neutrality?
The Internet has become a utility in our everyday lives. With the technology advent in the global markets, the internet has become a part of our day to day lives. With this new advent, there arise issues such as equality and freedom of usage. Recent usage of the word “net neutrality” means a lot to most of the internet users. Net neutrality or the open internet is defined as unlimited or equal access to all the websites on the internet without any limitations. However, we can see that some of the bigger players in the industry are blocking or limiting the speed of access to certain sites or apps. The issue of net neutrality is not a newer issue wherein everyone is hearing the words for the first time. …show more content…
Verizon sued FCC stating that FCC has no say in how the telecoms operate and charge their customers (Kang, 2011). However, in 2015, FCC has voted for net neutrality and against price differentials. This bill pertains to the new set of rules that have been passed in 2010 by the FCC. To enforce fairness rules, the agency has regulated the network owners by scooping them up under Title II of 1934 Telecommunications Act, a specific set of regulations that apply to phone companies (Berkman, 2014). Telecoms say that the rules do not match the services they provide (Pagliery, 2015). This act is a monopoly prevention act. This law was to give regulation for national and international communication via wire and radio (FCC, n.d.). These rules limit the paid prioritization. Under these new set of standards, Verizon cannot block Google Wallet like it did in 2011, and Comcast cannot block certain file sharing apps like the bit torrent. In simple words, net neutrality promotes open and equal internet for everyone. There are no price differentials for the data plans. Verizon and other telecoms oppose this because they fear more intervention in their activities by …show more content…
The problem with developing countries is that they do not have stipulated regulations on net neutrality. For example, in India, there are no laws enforcing net neutrality; this gives tech giants like the Facebook to exploit the Indian market. In fact, Facebook has used its monopoly social networking platform for an enormous political campaign in its favor, making and sharing lakhs (11 million according to Facebook) of template responses to the regulators’ consultation. The same platform functionality was not available to other users, who could be holding other views on the subject (Furtado, 2015) (Singh, 2016). TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has invited comments on the topic of net neutrality and received only 21 counter arguments on the Free Basics and net neutrality (The Hindu, 2016). Finally, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has ruled in favor of net neutrality making it illegal for Free Basics or any other zero rating platform to launch their products against net neutrality (Bhargava,

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