India Approves Net Neutrality Rules to Ban Fast Lanes, Data Discrimination

Cyberspace neutrality may still be back on the agenda in the US equally lawmakers across several states are fighting its ban through various means. But India has made its stance articulate.

India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has approved net neutrality rules that ban blocking, throttling, and zilch-rating internet information, with some exceptions.

The new rules preclude "any form of bigotry or interference" with information, including "blocking, degrading, slowing downwardly, or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content." However, they don't utilise to critical IoT infrastructure, or specialized services, which include autonomous vehicles and remote surgery operations.

India Approves Net Neutrality Rules to Ban Fast Lanes, Data Discrimination

As office of the new rules,internet service providers will need to comply they sign license agreements with the DoT. ISPs that violate the rules could have their licenses canceled.

"Any deviations and violations of the rules of internet neutrality – which come into event nearly immediately – will be met with potent penalties," telecom secretary Aruna Sundarajan was quoted as saying by TOI.

The new rules also prevent practices such as blocking websites on particular networks, degrading or slowing down network speed for certain websites, or granting preferential speeds to any website, on any grounds.

"The overarching goal for united states has been that internet must remain an open platform, unhindered by whatever entity then that users and customers have a choice to access the content of their liking… Nobody owns the cyberspace and thus it should be available to anybody . We seek openness and integrity of the internet," said TRAI chairman R S Sharma.