In an appalling act of recklessness, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has compromised the privacy of over a million Internet users of the country by publishing online all the responses of their consultation paper on Net neutrality. Either the bureaucrats running Trai are ignorant of how the Internet works or they were simply getting back at the virtual unanimity in opposing the erosion of the equity of providing Internet service by telecom companies creating shortcuts for corporates. Not only are all the 11 lakh email IDs in the public domain but all the addresses and phone numbers of those who may have put such details in their mails as part of their emailing template.
It must have been a dream come true for spammers and phishers to find such a rich lode of information. While malicious aforethought cannot be ruled out unless Trai holds an enquiry into how the breach of confidentiality occurred, perhaps it was just plain ineptitude. Inspite of the media and public backlash, including an attack by hackers, the information is still freely available, suggesting a typically bureaucratic “Who cares?” attitude. The Net neutrality issue itself is bigger, but judging from the angry reaction the regulator triggered, it is only fair to expect India will stick to Net neutrality as it exists and not introduce any elitist speeds or corporate sponsors to damage the concept that the Internet is a free and open domain delivering equally to all. Also, what India cannot afford to become is a police state preying on citizens who are forced to surrender their right to privacy.
