MyGov.in now has 72,000+ comments on net neutrality from citizens

The government of India's citizen engagement platform, MyGov.in, now has over 72,000 comments from people across the country, a majority of whom have voiced their support for net neutrality and have come out strongly against zero-rating: a telecom industry term that refers to data that a consumer doesn’t pay for directly but is somehow subsidised by a carrier or a content provider.

Net-neutrality-lies-at-the-core-of-how-consumers-are-able-to-access-and-use-the-Internet-and-is-therefore-crucial-to-the-success-of-Digital-India-Reuters

The government of India's citizen engagement platform, MyGov.in, now has over 72,000 comments from people across the country, a majority of whom have voiced their support for net neutrality and have come out strongly against zero-rating: a telecom industry term that refers to data that a consumer doesn't pay for directly but is somehow subsidised by a carrier or a content provider.

Read:Battle for open internet: Will you have to pay for WhatsApp, YouTube?

The government had extended the deadline for seeking comments and recommendations from people about net neutrality to the 20th from the 15th. Concerned citizens have till 5 PM on Thursday, August 20th, 2015, to register on MyGov.in and send it their opinion.

Read:Mark Zuckerberg to HT: Net neutrality and universal connectivity must co-exist

The definition of net neutrality is simple: on the Internet, all bits are equal. What you do with the data you pay for -- watch a YouTube video, send a WhatsApp message or make a Skype call -- is entirely your prerogative and in an ideal world, your Internet service provider should not prioritise certain kinds of bits over others.

Read:AIB's new video is the best net neutrality refresher course

Here are some of the stronger comments, published as is, from the website:

Ajas Muhammed

1. I DON'T WANT Net Neutrality to be defined by telecom companies.
2. I DON'T WANT telecom companies to control WHAT we access on the Internet and they CAN'T charge us money for accessing certain websites/applications on the Internet.
3. I WANT to be able to access anything, at any time, without having to pay more for it separately.
4. I DON'T WANT licensing for Whatsapp, Viber or any other app we use.
5. Access to ALL content on the internet should be accessible to every Indian citizen

Anjal Doshi

First of all, we don't want the watered down definitions of #NetNeutrality given by the telecom companies. We want #NetNeutrality to be the same old as - we can access everything, anywhere, at any time, without having to pay more for it separately.
We don't want TELCOS to tell us what we can acces on internet.
We don't want licensing for any apps like WhatsApp, Viber etc.
I request #TRAI to provide me such #NetNeutrality.

Achuth PV

#NetNeutrality is something very important which keeps competition healthy in the world of internet. It never makes any sense to pay more over internet which is already paid to the service operators just because they say so. They are already over charging us for SMS and phone calls, also internet. But beyond that if they again want to charge over the TOP services, it is just corporate greediness.
I don't support internet.org as well as charging over the top services. #saveinternet

Don Bosco Francis

Today the internet stands as 'The Fifth Estate'. ISP's should not trample Indian citizens freedom by slyly forming nexus with fascist policies of Govt to thwart people's dissent against pro-corporate decisions of NDA government. Internet today stands as basic right of an individual & let not Capitalist market & fascist leadership destroy our freedom.

Manreet Bajwa

Government knows very well what Telecos are trying to do, it's in your face and if you still willing to over look their money minded malicious intentions then PLEASE STOP CAMPAIGNS LIKE DIGITAL INDIA and START UP INDIA.
Yours Sincerely,
Citizen of a World's LARGEST DEMOCRACY.

Aditya Barwad

The idea of whole #DigitalInida would be worthless if cant even access internet at its full,I don't want my telecom operators to decide how I should use internet,#DepartmentofTelecommunications, #TelecomRegulatoryAuthorityofIndia, #TRAI India needs a proper #Netneutrality.Also I DON'T WANT licensing for Whatsapp, Viber or any other app we use.#Internet is not about telecom operators making money,its about knowledge to peoples.