Opinion on the free basics initiative by facebook

The free basics initiative by Facebook

Summary of the opinion:

· There is a huge difference between being a gateway to the Internet and being a gatekeeper to the Internet, and Free Basics worryingly has all the makings of the latter.

· It is about accumulating millions and millions of new users by offering products free, in the hope that the build-up could be milked for revenue in the years to come.

· That’s the same tactic many start-ups use to show “traction” while pitching to big moneyed venture capitalists.

· You find an unrestricted Internet economy with millions yet untapped in India.

· Facebook is identifying this need and bringing a sense of urgency to addressing it.

· Credit is due for the way its young founder Mark Zuckerberg has fought doggedly for the idea’s acceptance.

· The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, the regulator, has asked Facebook’s Free Basics partner in India, Reliance Communications, to put the service on hold.

· The social media giant,Facebook showing little sign of backing off.

· It’s both impressive and unsettling at the same time when one thinks about how a corporate, valued at over $300 billion, can spend so much money and effort on a controversial project that is not even avowedly a pure business venture.

· Policy makers have to not only decide the fate of services such as Free Basics but also find ways to deliver digital equality fast.

· For, Free Basics can’t be an excuse for the failures of the state in delivering universal access.

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