Facebook is selling old wine (Internet.org) in a new bottle (Free Basics), users be aware

Forum 8 years ago

Facebook is selling old wine (Internet.org) in a new bottle (Free Basics), users be aware

Every now and then, one can find a debate brewing on Net Neutrality, where MNCs and big businesses want to use it to their advantage to make more money. For those not in the know (if there are any), to read more about Net Neutrality click here.
Meanwhile, Facebook has been pushing Internet.org also known as Free Basics (which is the opposite of free) with a lot of belligerence. Recently, Tim Berners-Lee, who is a computer scientist and creator of the World Wide Web, came down hard on Facebook's internet.org/Free Basics, as it violates the principles of Net Neutrality. You can read all about it here.
So, what does Facebook do? It circumvents the issue and ensures that it does not state the all the facts about Free Basics. They are asking users to send an e-mail to the Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI) with your name and other details. The content of the email will be as follows: "To, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, I support digital equality for India. Free Basics provides free access to essential internet services like communication, education, healthcare, employment, farming and more. It helps those who can't afford to pay for data, or who need a little help getting started online. And it's open to all people, developers and mobile operators. With one billion Indian people not yet connected, shutting down Free Basics would hurt our country's most vulnerable people. I support Free Basics — and digital equality for India. Thank you.

Facebook is just trying to play on the fact that most of us click the like button on its platform without reading or understanding the complete picture. It has become second nature to us to like any picture or debate trending on Facebook without knowing the complete facts or just because many of our friends or relatives have done so.
What Facebook users should be made aware of is the fact that if you send out this e-mail to TRAI then you are against Net Neutrality and would support Internet.org and Free Basics. Do you want that? Our suggestion is to first understand what the system is all about, as Facebook is not giving you the complete picture. Times Group supports Net Neutrality and has urged others to do so as initiations like Free Basics would just hinder free internet and freedom one has to browse or go to any website. Free Basics/Internet.org is actually against freedom.