The voices urging protection of net neutrality are growing in number by the day. Filmmaker Karan Johar and TV personality Siddharth Basu are the latest celebrities to urge Indian netizens to 'save the internet,' a campaign to ensure that Internet service providers (ISPs) treat all traffic on their networks equally. (NDTV is supporting the campaign to 'Save the Internet' - you can sign a petition here )
Karan Johar told NDTV, "I think it's amazing that the entire film fraternity has come together to literally save the internet and to vote for net neutrality. And I think it's important and critical. The net is one of the biggest democratic tools that exist in the world in the zone of media. Protecting it and not having the government decide what they can charge you for and what they shouldn't I think works against the ethos of what the internet is all about."
(Also Read: AIB Shares Video on #SaveTheInternet, B-Town Lends Support)
"I think imposing any kind of restriction on that is harakiri to what we all stand for in a democratic country, he added."
Siddharth Basu shared a collage of hilarious caricatures: This is what the proposed changes to net neutrality could mean. Write to TRAI now via http://www.savethenet.com
This is what the proposed changes to net neutrality could mean. Write to TRAI now via http://t.co/Ra9TumRj1N. pic.twitter.com/n2dL9oPJDM
- Siddhartha Basu (@babubasu) April 13, 2015
This is urgent. Don't let them loot the public.Send TRAI your views, protect #NetNeutralityIndia and #SaveTheInternet http://t.co/w0kDdLnw2q
- Siddhartha Basu (@babubasu) April 13, 2015
Actor Riteish Deshmukh singled out the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI in a tweet:
TRAI TRAI till we succeed - #NetNeutrality #HumHongeKaamyab
- Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) April 13, 2015
#NetNeutrality is as important as Freedom of Speech. Our Basic Right
- Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) April 13, 2015
Composer Vishal Dadlani wrote a series of tweets urging users to call or write to TRAI:
Why YOU need #NetNeutrality . Write in to TRAI via savetheinternet.in Just 2-3 clicks, so pl. do it, NOW, & share. pic.twitter.com/FvmxKhnMn3
- VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 13, 2015
Phone numbers for TRAI. Call them now, and tell them we insist on #NetNeutrality .I just did. http://t.co/45Dka4Ku1V
- VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 13, 2015
Don't stop now! Just 2 clicks to try & save #NetNeutrality "@karthikb351:100k responses to TRAI! SaveTheInternet.in #NetNeutralityIndia"
- VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) April 12, 2015
Director Anubhav Sinha tweeted:
Talk to friends and people and make them aware about #NetNeutrality . Trust me you will be surprised how most are unaware.
- Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) April 13, 2015
Actress Sarah Jane Dias tweeted:
It took me less than a minute to help #SaveTheInternet YOU SHOULD SPEAK UP TOO! http://t.co/P1aSc0yLcF
- Sarah-Jane Dias (@sarahjanedias03) April 13, 2015
Singer Sona Mohapatra wrote:
Did u know,telcos in #India pocket 80% & only pay out close to 20% of the revenues on music to labels who in turn pay 0 % to music creators?
- Sona Mohapatra (@sonamohapatra) April 13, 2015
TRAI has invited users to comment on how Internet apps and services should be regulated. Over the weekend, several celebrities responded publicly saying no websites should be given preferential treatment. Shah Rukh Khan and other actors retweeted a video made by comedy collective AIB which explained net neutrality.
Today, actor-TV personality Gaurav Kapoor tweeted:
That it makes you smile intermittently is a bonus. Coz the video is not funny, it's scary & deadly serious. Well done AIB #SaveTheInternet
- Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) April 13, 2015