• A human right represents an uncompromising principle of social discourse that is an absolute necessity for a dignified human life. The nature of rights changes with changes in society and civilisation. In Digital Age, net neutrality is one such uncompromising principle.
• Net Neutrality refers to the unbiased treatment of all internet websites, portals and services by an internet service provide (ISP) in matters of allocating bandwidth and traffic. Net neutrality is at the core of an open Internet that does not allow for content discrimination by ISPs. 

• Net neutrality is the principle that Internet service providers must treat all data on the Internet the same, and not discriminate or charge differently by user, content, website, platform, application, type of attached equipment, or method of communication. 
• For instance, under these principles, internet service providers are unable to intentionally block, slow down or charge money for specific websites and online content.
• The term was coined by Columbia University media law professor Tim Wu in 2003, as an extension of the longstanding concept of a common carrier, which was used to describe the role of telephone systems.

Arguments in favour

• This principle has allowed the burgeoning of the Internet, from one as a means of communication and a destination for information to becoming a parallel, virtual universe that caters to social interactions, business, knowledge dissemination, and entertainment among other things. 
• Net neutrality inviolability has been built into the structure of the Internet itself — in its layers and protocols that allow for seamless access to any networked device in the world irrespective of the nature of the physical infrastructure that has built the network.
• It prevents discrimination against small entrepreneurs, fosters the spirit of competition and merit, nurtures the democratic nature of internet, provides fertile ground for innovation, and research and development, and protects the privacy.
• Compromise in net neutrality will lead to control of internet by a few corporation. Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrencies functions over internet only. Control of these technologies can gain them a disproportionate and all-encompassing power over society.
• Almost all human activities are part of the internet. Personal relations, marriage, media, social media, communication, politics, entertainment, sports, stock market, health, education and so on, all make use of internet in one way or another way.

Arguments against net neutrality

• Broadband content should be regulated as a service delivery much like phone services are.  Net neutrality dis-incentivised ISPs from improving or increasing investment in Internet infrastructure. 

Conclusion

• The way internet has been weaved through our social, political and economic fabric it becomes imperative to have net neutrality. 
• TRAI has maintained that net neutrality is the core principle of internet governance, but more needs to be done to create awareness of “net neutrality as a human right”.