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Case Studies
However, this access would be limited to the content
provided by CPs, who tied up with the Free Basics
platform. Presenting a comprehensive history of the net
neutrality debate, the case offers views of all the
stakeholders called by the regulatory authority to
present their perspectives. The stakeholders include the
ISPs (internet service providers), CPs, end consumers
represented by civil society, the regulatory body itself,
and the government. The case brings up the issues
related to the digital divide, privacy of consumers,
competition, freedom of expression, etc., from the
perspective of all the stakeholders.
Pandey, N., Dé, R. (2021). The Question of
Net Neutrality. Indian Institute of
Management-Bangalore.
For a telecom regulatory authority in a developing
country, reducing the digital divide is an important
goal, while it maintains net neutrality through the
mechanisms it implements or allows to be
implemented. The case "The Question of Net
Neutrality" presents the dilemma that the Indian
telecom regulator, the TRAI, faces while it decides
whether to allow a private firm, Facebook, to launch
a zero-rating service. The case is set at the time
when Facebook Inc. came up with an offer of
launching Internet.org as a zero-rating service.
Under this plan, Internet.org (later rebranded as
Free Basics) would act as a platform to connect a
range of content providers (CPs) through which the
hitherto unconnected populations would have
access to the internet.
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