From the 90’s onwards, the
Internet is steadily replacing all other technologies to become the most sought
after medium for the global population. It has given us a platform for
communication, innovation, and economic opportunity. More and more chunks of
populations are being connected to it and more societies being opened to this
abundance of ideas. If the initial form of Internet in the 90’s was just for
communicating via e-mail and for web pages, new ideas are being introduced
day-by-day and we are experiencing a myriad of applications capable of doing
what we had never thought of. Realizing the potential of this medium, even the
UN recently proposed that the ‘Internet access should be made a human right’.
Access
for all
As
the Internet use become a universal phenomenon, the question of ‘network neutrality’
and ‘open access’ gains much importance. Simply speaking, it’s a neutral
architecture that’s open to every conceivable type of application that could be
developed around the world, be it databases, transfer of documents, videos on YouTube,
etc. Technological evangelists visualize a neutral architecture as one which is
unaware of the application it is bearing and which is open to all populations, irrespective
of services. The ideal one proposed is the one which focuses on end-users and
whose policies are not formulated by the owners of the network. But lately, some developments have occurred
which questions such a concept and which are shaped by the technology giants.
We could examine some such efforts:
1.
Internet.org
It is a Facebook-led initiative
which has its motto as to ‘provide affordable internet, which offers selected
services to two-thirds of the world that doesn’t have the internet access’. It
aims to deploy various technologies like mesh networks, unmanned aerial
vehicles, satellite links and optical communication to provide connectivity
based on geographical position of the target audience. Even though the aim
seems good, the embedded restrictions in offering services which are nicknamed
‘packages’ drew lots of flak from the supporters of open access.
2. Project ‘Loon’ from Google
The champion of search and
connectivity world, Google is behind this project which aims to provide
connectivity to remote and rural areas with the help of high-altitude balloons
placed in stratosphere. An offshoot of this project visualizes cellular
communication also through this means in future. As of now, the technology
giant has not talked of any ‘restriction’ of services that it intend to offer
through this way.
3. White Space initiative
White Space Coalition is a set of
technology companies including Microsoft, Dell, Google, HP, Intel, Samsung, EarthLink
etc which is working to deliver internet through analog TV signals for remote
areas.For example, Microsoft has come up with its own concept of using the
White space which is the unused TV spectrum (now owned by Doordarshan) to offer
costless connectivity to selected areas of rural India. It has opened up the
project in collusion with the ‘Digital India’ initiative charted out by the
present Government of India. The project is funded by the tech giant and the
necessary infrastructure at the operational level is also provided by it.
4. Outernet/Hughesnet
They are Internet access
initiatives by US companies which offers low-cost access to web through
satellite hotspots which receive signals from small satellite constellation
positioned on outer space. It has been currently launched in US, Europe, North
Africa and Middle East.
Along with these, mobile giants
like Telenor, Orange etc ,space
exploration companies like SpaceX and tech giants like Amazon are starting to
take part in such initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide.
Initiatives at Government
level
If we look at the
initiatives in public space, Many governments and organisations in the world
are developing broadband policies to address the digital infrastructure divide,
by stimulating investment in high-speed broadband infrastructure in rural areas;
for example, through the provision of public–private partnerships and
structural funds.Some projects as part of ‘Digital India’ proposed by the
Government of India is one such initiative.The government is working with the
Department of Telecommunications so as to ensure low-cost access in all parts
of India. Bharat Net, a high speed digital highway to connect all 2.5 lakh Gram
Panchayats of country. This would be the world's largest rural broadband
connectivity project using optical fibre. BSNL has undertaken large scale
deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country. It has been actively
working to take the benefits of optical technology through NKN(National
Knowledge Network)to all academic institutions including Universities and
Colleges throughout India.
Looking to the outer
space
If
we review all the projects by private
internet companies outlined above, we could see that the essential approach is
to migrate from terrestrial mode of service to service from outer space. It is
the result of some changes that have come from the late 90’s – satellite
technology has advanced and the cost of deployment has been down, new types of
drones, unmanned aerial vehicles have been developed, abundant use of spectrum
has been achieved – all these contribute to the focus on outer space and
atmosphere.
Censorship
– a thorn in the path
Censorship
is the most important impediment in the path to an open internet platform. It
is the control of information and ideas circulated within a society. In old
days, it was enforced by examination of plays, books, television/radio, news
reports etc. But in the age of internet, under the guise of censorship,
governments or societies enforce this in the name of protecting family, state
or religious beliefs. The argument which takes the first place is religious sentiments;
the close second goes to national security and government secrecy, parental
controls take the next position and so on. To control the damage done to their
reputation, the governments have climbed down from their stance and paved way
for milder controls. Most governments resort now to adopting PICS (Platform for
Internet Content Selections)as a means of enforcing censorship.. The ‘Great
Firewall’ implemented in mainland China is an example of tight restrictions in
the censorship of content .It is a government-sponsored framework for
censorship of Internet.
The
Wikileaks and Snowden Saga
In
the opening years of the new Century, US and UK governments had enforced laws
like ‘Patriot Act’ and ‘Freedom Act’ or ‘Communications Data Bill’ and snooping
mechanisms like PRISM. Global groups like Global Internet Liberty Campaign
(GILC), American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU), Electronic Frontier
Foundation(EFF), private groups like Anonymous, etc have carried the campaigns
for a neutral and open Internet to the next level by exposing the loopholes in
these mechanisms for mass surveillance which leads to attack on the privacy of
common man. But the crusades of ‘Wikileaks’ owned by Julian Assange and exposes
by Edward Snowden, a former FBI operative have successfully exposed the behind-the-scene
stories of surveillance programs by governments that have reached alarming
levels.
The Age of Social Engineering
Nowadays,
the stress of censor mechanisms has focused on Social media platforms as they
have been recognized as the ‘happening areas’ of information dissemination. Using
latest data mining technologies and expert surveillance techniques, the
censors, agencies, governments etc are collecting the online history of
individuals so as to serve as indicators for collective social trands. These
data could even help them in finding how individuals or even populations could
act to change agents. It is no secret that such data can be used for social
engineering by media, corporations and governments as they please.
Closing
Note
We
now know that no nation can exist as an island in the connected world.The
initiatives outlined above by big and small players is to ensure free and fair
connectivity. When a country goes “online,” the Internet has the capacity to
accelerate its economy and prompt almost immediate growth. From the experiences in developed
countries, it is now evident that the exposure to such a world without
boundaries in communication is not without its flaws. While the reason behind
the endeavors for open and free internet vary and all of them cannot be surely
said as having a positive note for the general public, in the terms of connectivity,
it is the humanity which stand to benefit ultimately.
