Was India right to ban Facebook Free Basics service?
Despite aggressive efforts to promote universal connectivity in India, Facebook just struck out. India’s telecom regulator has blocked the company’s Free Basics service as part of a ruling that supports net neutrality.
What is the free basic program of Facebook?
One of the most notorious ones is Facebook’s Free Basics initiative. Free Basics is both an application and website that provides free of data charges access to a variety of basic services like news, weather and health information, job ads, and of course, Facebook.
Why was Free Basics banned in India?
Facebook’s free-but-restricted internet service, Free Basics, has been banned in India after the country’s national telecoms regulator ruled that the program and others like it infringe the principles of net neutrality.
When was Free Basics banned in India?
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) accused Facebook of failing to pass on the four questions in the regulator’s consultation paper and also blocking access to TRAI’s designated email for feedback on Free Basics. On February 11, 2016, Facebook withdrew the Free Basics platform from India.
Which countries have Free Basics?
Most of the apps featured inside Free Basics are US and UK-based, with only one or two local options. Although Facebook offers its Free Basics to 63 countries, the report only contains data from Columbia, Mexico, the Philippines, Ghana, Pakistan, and Kenya.
When did Facebook launch in India?
After a month, Zhuo was hired as a full-time engineer. On September 26, 2006, Facebook opened to everyone at least 13 years old with a valid email address.
Which country has free Facebook?
How do I access Free Basics?
You can access the Free Basics by downloading and installing the Free Basics App from your app store to your phone or entering this web address: https://0.freebasics.com on your browser.
Is there Facebook in India?
The country has long been a growing market for the social media network as more Indians come online. However, based on new data sent to advertisers, Facebook now has 241 million active users in India – a million more than it does in the U.S.– making India the country with its largest user base for the first time.
Is Facebook the Internet?
For much of the world, Facebook has become “synonymous with the internet,” says Sarah Aoun, vice president for security at the Open Technology Fund, a US nonprofit that supports technology projects like the private browser Tor and encrypted message service Signal.
Is Facebook internet free?
Facebook’s free internet service launched in developing nations and low socio-economic areas more than five years ago to provide people with free access to some online services.
In which countries is Facebook free?
Although Facebook offers its Free Basics to 63 countries, the report only contains data from Columbia, Mexico, the Philippines, Ghana, Pakistan, and Kenya. With Free Basics, the report claims that Facebook acts essentially just like an ISP and collects users’ traffic data.