Google joined hands with Facebook to try and prevent the Internet and Mobile Association of India, which represents some of the largest Internet companies in India, from taking a stand that counters Zero Rating. According to emails exchanged between IAMAI’s Government Relations committee members, of which MediaNama has copies, Vineeta Dixit, a member of Google’s Public Policy and and Government Relations team, strongly pushed for the removal of any mention of Zero Rating from the IAMAI’s submission, as a response to the Department of Telecom’s report on Net Neutrality. Please note that Google hasn’t responded to our queries, despite multiple reminders.
The DoT committee report had singled out Facebook’s Internet.org as a potential gatekeeper for Internet access, and one that can lead to principles of non-discriminatory access being compromised, if “such market leaders are able to dictate the path to specific content”. “The committee therefore is of the firm opinion that content and application providers cannot be permitted to act as gatekeepers and use network operations to extract value even if it is for an ostensible public purpose,” the report said, adding that “Collaborations between TSPs and content providers that enable such gatekeeping role to be played by any entity should be actively discouraged.”
