Culture & Lifestyle / Mark Zuckerberg Disappointed As Facebook’s Free Basics Banned For Good In India

Mark Zuckerberg Disappointed As Facebook’s Free Basics Banned For Good In India

Culture & Lifestyle Feb 10, 2016

by Nomaan Khan

Late last year, the Indian government had temporarily banned Facebook's Free Basics program due to concerns about net neutrality. India is saying no to Free Basics, and it seems the program may be banned for good.

As part of a ruling in favour of net neutrality, telecom regulators in India have blocked Facebook's Free Basics internet service app.

"No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content," said the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

^{Protesters in India Against the Free Basics Service}

^{Photo Credit: www.bbc.com}

The Free Basics program offered free access to a limited number of websites, and it met with opposition from supporters of net neutrality. The argument was that data providers shouldn't favour some online services over others. The free content included the BBC, Wikipedia, selected local news and weather forecasts, and some health sites.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wasn't so pleased with India's decision. "While we're disappointed with today's decision," he wrote, "I want to personally communicate that we are committed to keep working to break down barriers to connectivity in India and around the world."

He continued, "Connecting India is an important goal we won't give up on, because more than a billion people in India don't have access to the internet. We know that connecting them can help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities."

^{Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Expressed His Disappointment in a Facebook Post

Photo Credit: www.ibnlive.com}

Facebook had also said that Free Basics intended to bring unconnected users online. Last year in Delhi, Zuckerberg said that Free Basics would bring 15 million users online — a million of whom hailed from India. He also claimed that half the people who used the program opted to pay to access the whole Internet.

What he missed was that the people accessing Free Basics were not "unconnected" or first-time Internet users. A Buzzfeed investigation revealed that the majority of users had data plans and used the Free Basics program to access Facebook for free or when they had run out of credit. So basically, subscribers on other networks were paying to use Facebook while carrier partners with Facebook were retaining customers by providing free access to Facebook.

"Free" doesn't always mean there are no costs. Users ultimately end up becoming the product for advertisers.

Net neutrality activists argued that Free Basics was a way for Facebook to shape people's access to the Internet. Zuckerberg said it was a way to connect people who otherwise may not have Internet access. Both of these are very true statements. But Facebook claiming to help the needy with free access to only selected sites didn't go down so well with Indian officials.

Providing the Internet to people who don't have access is, obviously, a good thing. But how should you feel about only getting free access to Facebook's own software or services?

What's your take on Free Basics being banned for good? Let us know in the comments below.

^{Main Image Photo Credit: www.newint.org}

Nomaan Khan

Author

After spending some time in a completely different field, Nomaan decided to drop it all and switch to Mohawk College to pursue his longtime interest in the world of Journalism. His experience working in multimedia platforms has helped him develop exceptional skills in thinking on his feet, being ...

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Mark Zuckerberg Disappointed As Facebook’s Free Basics Banned For Good In India

by Nomaan Khan

Late last year, the Indian government had temporarily banned Facebook's Free Basics program due to concerns about net neutrality. India is saying no to Free Basics, and it seems the program may be banned for good.

Nomaan Khan

COMMENTS

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