e-commerce
Net neutrality: Flipkart pulls out of Airtel Zero after social media backlash
MUMBAI: Over the last few days, the hot topic of debate on social media has been net neutrality. Even as Indians sent more than 300,000 emails to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in support of net neutrality to ensure equal internet access for all, e-commerce giant Flipkart, has pulled out of its deal with Airtel for its platform Airtel Zero, which allows users to access partner apps sans any data charges.
Flipkart faced a lot of flak on social media platforms on its partnership with Airtel Zero. As a result of this, the company backed out of its deal and has also now committed itself to the larger cause of net neutrality in India.
In an official statement, Flipkart said, “We at Flipkart have always strongly believed in the concept of net neutrality, for we exist because of the Internet. Over the past few days, there has been a great amount of debate, both internally and externally, on the topic of zero rating, and we have a deeper understanding of the implications.”
Based on this, the company took the following decisions:
(1) Flipkart ended ongoing discussions with Airtel for their platform Airtel Zero.
(2) The company committed itself to the larger cause of Net Neutrality in India and will be discussing internally the details of actions it would take to support the cause.
(3) Flipkart will also work towards ensuring that the spirit of net neutrality is upheld and applied equally to all companies in India irrespective of the size or the service being offered and there is absolutely no discrimination whatsoever.
As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, stand-up comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) released a video explaining the concept of net neutrality and its impact if it was denied to users. AIB’s video, which went viral, conveyed the message that Internet was a utility and not a luxury.
To review the concept of net neutrality, the government has created a committee of six members. Indian Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the team’s report on net neutrality will be presented in mid-May.
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
