Internet think tank holds meeting on net neutrality

Facebook, Google and homegrown Paytm were among top Internet and digital firms present at a brainstorming session on Wednesday to discuss the think tank's internal view on the latest consultation paper by the telecom regulator on net neutrality.

The meeting, organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for its member companies, comes ahead of the December 30 deadline set by the regulator to submit comments on the consultation paper on differential pricing for data services. A deadline of January 7 has been given for receiving counter comments.

Notably, Paytm cofounder Vijay Shekhar Sharma who has been vociferously opposing Facebook's Free Basics programme tweeted on Tuesday: "Oh my fellow Indians, either choose this & do a jihaad for independent Internet later or pick #NetNeutrality today."

The telecom regulator had asked Reliance Communications to submit the terms and conditions of Facebook's Free Basics services that the telco offers on its network, and asked the carrier not to offer the service until it submits the details.

In an emailed statement, Facebook, which has been running a massive campaign in India to promote its Free Basic campaign, said: "We are committed to Free Basics and to working with Reliance and the relevant authorities to help people in India get connected."

Meanwhile, Internet activists supporting net neutrality and running the SaveTheInternet coalition intensified their attack on Facebook's 'Save Free Basics' campaign. Apart from trying to garner support from India's top startups such as Flipkart and Zomato, they also released a rebuttal to Facebook's explanation for running Free Basics.

In its print campaign on Wednesday, Facebook argued that Free Basics was not a walled garden.

"In India, 40 per cent of people who come online through Free Basics are paying for data and accessing the full Internet within the first 30 days. In the same time period, eight times more people are paying versus staying on just the free services." The Internet countered the claim by saying that research had shown that people preferred to use the open web for a shorter duration over a limited set of sites for a longer duration. "Facebook says that Free Basics doesn't have ads, but does not say that it will never have ads on Free Basics," it added.

(Image credits: BCCL)