6 lakh comments on Trai’s second net neutrality consultation paper

Telecom regulator Trai has received around six lakh comments on its consultation paper over ‘Differential Pricing for Data Services’ — one of the important issues under net neutrality principles. “Till Thursday, Trai received about 5,40,000 comments. These comments have suddenly come and mostly around Facebook’s Free Basics service. Today comments would have crossed six lakh,”…

How social media led 24-year-old Bhuvith Shetty to ‘murder’ — and prison

Despite their obvious attempts to activate communal fault lines on various social media platforms, hardcore Hindutva right-wingers are not known to back up their verbal attacks with physical assault. In that sense, Bajrang Dal activist Bhuvith Shetty, the 24-year-old face behind the Twitter handle @garudapurana, is an exception — he has been vicious online and…

Free Basics Doesn’t Solve the Problem of Connectivity, Says Microsoft India Chairman

Microsoft India Chairman Bhaskar Pramanik says while he believes that the intentions behind Facebook’s Free Basics are noble, there are obvious concerns around net neutrality and the project doesn’t solve the basic problem of connectivity. “[Free Basics] doesn’t solve the problem of connectivity,” says Pramanik, ostensibly referring to the fact that you need to be…

Bangladesh lifts ban on all social media, communication apps

Bangladesh today lifted the ban on all social media platforms including Skype, WhatsApp and Viber, more than three-weeks after it blocked social networking and messaging apps following Supreme Court ruling upholding death penalty of two opposition leaders convicted for war-crimes. “All the social communication media are being unblocked following a government order,” State Minister for Posts and Telecommunications Tarana Halim said.…