I have been using the internet for the past one and a half years. I use the internet to help me with my studies.
Mostly I use Wikipedia and Google. Last week for a project on the topic of entrepreneurship I used Google to do most of my research.
Also, I use Facebook and I have an account too. Through Facebook I connect with all my classmates. Sometimes we have group projects and we connect on Facebook to do the work.
Am I aware of net neutrality? Yes I am. Over the past few days I have spent time reading the newspapers and I think not having net neutrality is bad. Net neutrality is a right. It is my fundamental right to use the internet. And it is not fair that companies force me to enjoy something I don’t like.
I like listening to music when I go back from school to home. So imagine if one day, I have to take a cab from my house to school on the day of an exam. I get inside the cab and tell the driver uncle to put on rock music—which is my favourite—on the radio channel which he agrees to.
But he is driving slowly and I ask him why. He says, if I want to go faster, his favourite music should be played. Otherwise I have to pay him more while I listen to my favourite music.
If I listen to his music my interests are compromised. Otherwise I have to pay more. That to me is not fair.
It is not fair that he decides to do that. Similarly companies cannot too. I like choices, like which internet provider to use. We got rid of Airtel at home when my father found out that the rates were high. But that was a choice.
The driver cannot force me to listen to what he wants. And like that, internet companies cannot tell me what to do. I tell all my friends about net neutrality. They seem to care, but many do not know about it yet. A few are understanding the importance of it.
But I hope they all get to know about it. Because it is our right.
Shriya is a class 8 student of National Public School in Bangalore. She loves rock music and wants to become a veterinary doctor. We welcome your comments at ideas.india@qz.com.