Read the passage given below.
1. Internet is built around the idea of openness. It allows people to connect and exchange information freely if the information or service is not illegal. Much of this is because of the idea of net neutrality.
2. When the internet started to take off in the 1980s and 1990s, there were no specific rules which stated that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should follow the same principle. But mostly because telecom operators were also ISPs, they adhered to the same principle. This principle is known as net neutrality. An ISP does not control the traffic that passes its servers.When a web user connects to a website or web service, he or she gets the same speed. Data rate for YouTube videos and Facebook photos is theoretically the same. Users can access any legal website or web service without any interference from an ISP.
3. Net neutrality has shaped the internet in two fundamental ways. One, web users are free to connect to whatever website or service they want. ISPs do not bother with what kind of content is flowing through their servers. This has allowed the internet to grow into a truly global network and has allowed people to freely express themselves. But more importantly,net neutrality has enabled a level playing field on the internet. To start a website, you don't need a lot of money or connections. Just host your website and you are ready to go. If your service is good, it will find favour with web users., This has led to creation of Google, Facebook, Twitter and countless other services.
4. 1f there is no net neutrality, ISPs will have the power (and inclination) to shape internet traffic, so that they can derive extra benefit from it. For instance, several ISPs believe that they should be allowed to charge companies for services like You'Tube and Netflix because these services consume more bandwidth compared to a normal website Basically, these ISPs want a share in the money that YouTube or Netflix make.
5. Without net neutrality, the internet as we know will not exist. Instead of free access, there could be 'package plans'for consumers. For instance, if you pay 7500, you wil only be able to access websites based in India. To access international websites, you may have to pay more. Or may be there can be different connection speed for different types of content, depending on how much you are paying for the service and what add-on package you have bought.
6. Lack of net neutrality will also spell doom for innovation on the web. It is possible that ISPs will charge web companies to enable faster access to their websites. Those who don't pay may see that their websites will open slowly. This means bigger companies like Google will be able to pay more to make access to YouTube or Google+faster for web users, but a start-up that wants to create a different and better video hosting site may not be able to do that.
7. Legally, the concept of net neutrality doesn't exist in India. Sunil Abraham, the Executive Director of the Centre for Internet and Society in Bangalore, says that Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which regulates the telecom industry has tried to come up with some rules regarding net neutrality several times. For instance, it invited comments on the concept of net neutrality from industry bodies and stakeholders in 2006. But no formal rules have been formed to uphold and enforce net neutrality.
8. However, despite lack of formal rules, ISPs in India mostly adhere to the principle of net neutrality. There have been some incidents where Indian ISPs have ignored net neutrality, but these are few and far between.
(a) On the basis of your understanding of the above passage, answer each of the questions given below with the help of the options that follow. (1x4=4)
i) Which of the following statements is true about ISPs?
(a) They run according to specific rules and regulations.
(b) They are not responsible for controlling jamming of the internet.
(c) They interfere in the usage and accessibility of legal websites.
(d) They are responsible for monitoring the kind of content flowing through the internet.
(ii) Without net neutrality, how will one be able to access the internet?
(a) There will be no access to internet.
(b) One will have to travel miles to use the web.
(c) By opting for 'package plans' by ISPs to access the web.
(d) None of the above
(ii) What problem will the start-ups face in case there is lack of net neutrality?
(a) They will have to pay more to the 1ISPs.
(b) They will face funding problems.
(c) They won't be able to prototype the idea of better and innovative sites.
(d) All of the above
إرسال تعليق