Letters: Free the internet

With reference to your editorial, "The basic principles" (July 21), as an active internet user, I am shocked to learn about the recent proposal to create differential access to cybserspace. While I appreciate the government's Digital India campaign and realise it is important the rural community gets access to the internet (www.internet.org), I fail to understand the logic of discriminating among websites to achieve this social cause.

At present, 42 per cent of the global population has access to the internet and it is estimated due to growing internet use on cell phones this figure will cross 50 per cent by 2016. Net neutrality is crucial for small businesses, especially start-ups that bank on an open internet to launch their operations, create a market, advertise their products/services and distribute using e-commerce sites.

The internet in India is neither dying nor does it need to be saved. It should evolve in an innovative way for more people to be able to access it in a manner they deem fit and at a cost they can afford. The government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India should refrain from any policy that hampers the growth of the internet in the country.

Vivek George Kerala

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:
The Editor, Business Standard
Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg
New Delhi 110 002
Fax: (011) 23720201
E-mail: letters@bsmail.in
All letters must have a postal address and telephone number