#SayNoToFreeBasics - What Facebook won't tell you about FreeBasics

[swatkats]

*i.imgur.com/E2bQ5IE.png




WHAT FACEBOOK WON’T TELL YOU

• 1 -There are other successful models (this, this, this) for providing free Internet access to people, without giving a competitive advantage to Facebook. Free Basics is the worst of our options.

• 2 -Facebook doesn’t pay for Free Basics, telecom operators do. Where do they make money from? From users who pay. By encouraging people to choose Free Basics, Facebook reduces the propensity to bring down data costs for paid Internet access.

• 3 -Free Basics isn’t about bringing people online. It’s about keeping Facebook and its partners free, while everything else remains paid. Users who pay for Internet access can still access Free Basics for free, giving Facebook and its partners an advantage. Free Basics is a violation of Net Neutrality

• 4 - Internet access is growing rapidly in India. We’ve added 100 million users in 2015. Almost all the connections added in India the last 1 year are NOT because of Free Basics.

• 5 -Free Basics is not an open platform. Facebook defines the technical guidelines for Free Basics, and reserves the right to change them. They reserve the right to reject applicants, who are forced to comply with Facebook’s terms. In contrast they support ‘permissionless innovation’ in the US.

• 6 -The only source of info on Facebook’s Free Basics is Facebook, and it misleads people. Facebook was criticised in Brazil for misleading advertising. (source) Their communication in India is misleading. People find the “Free” part of Free Basics advertising from Facebook (or FreeNet free Internet) from Reliance misleading. (source)

• 7 -Facebook gets access to all the usage data and usage patterns of all the sites on Free Basics. No website which wants to compete with Facebook will partner with them.because it will have to give them user data. Facebook gives data to the NSA (source) and this is a security issue for India.

• 8 -Research has shown that people prefer to use the open web for a shorter duration over a limited set of sites for a longer duration. (source)

• 9 -Facebook says that Free Basics doesn’t have ads, but does not say that it will never have ads on Free Basics.

• 10 -Facebook has shown people as saying that they support Free Basics when they haven’t. They may claim 3.2 million in support, but how many of those mails are legitimate?

How you can help

• Click here to ask the TRAI to investigate Facebook’s submissions for authenticity.
• Click here to send an email to TRAI in support of Net Neutrality
• Click here to mail your MP to support Net Neutrality.

Microsoft having shares worth $240M in Facebook is opposing Free Basics or Internet.org: *economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/...snubs-facebooks-plan/articleshow/50317628.cms


PayTM in Support of Net Neutrality: *paytm.com/blog/time-to-go-all-out-save-the-net/






Hyderabad Doesn't give a F**K about Facebook which has already lost its popularity : *i.imgur.com/VY7y33V.jpg


*twitter.com/SwechaFSMI/media (More Protest Pics)

 

[Vyom]

Lol at Free basics!!! Seriously... what the F is FB doing?

 

[swatkats]

*www.reddit.com/r/india/comments/3ya52q/vp_internetorg/

Fb's Internet.org VP took 45mins to answer first 4 AMA Questions. Ended up answering 10-11 Questions.. Goddamn it, AMA's are supposed to be quick and majority of them are to be answered!!

 

[satinder]

Corporates want to rule in their own way in India too !

 

[swatkats]

The Hyderabad chapter of the Free Software Movement of India (FSMI) is going to organise a four-day long campaign against Facebook's controversial Free Basics initiative.

"Facebook misinformed and underinformed its users about Free Basics," Siddhartha, a member of Swecha, part of FSMI, told ET.

FSMI is a national coalition of various regional and sectoral free software movements operating in different parts of India, and is also running an online campaign to highlight the problems with Free Basics through its website.

Free Basics, which Facebook says is part of its Internet.org initiative, aims to provide free access to basic Internet services by partnering with telecom companies. Such practices, commonly referred to as "zero-rating", allows users to access select applications or websites, free of data charges, by striking deals with telecom operators.

Source:FSMI Hyderabad launches campaign against Free Basics | ET Telecom

 

[JojoTheDragon]

Signed! Need to spread the word to my friends as well.

 

[Flash]

Mark Zuckerberg?s Latest Bid to Get India on Board With Free Basics: Internet Is Like a Library - India Real Time - WSJ

 

[Minion]

well people should understand nothing is free in this world.

 

[bssunilreddy]

We are living in a dangerous world full of jealousy and hatred around us. If India's integrity is shattered by NSA's policies then we might have more carnage daily than we can contemplate. What NSA is doing is actually helping us live free by giving inputs as and when needed.

As for as the free basics is concerned there is no need to raise such an outcry for a developing country like ours.

 

[Desmond]

Mark Zuckerberg?s Latest Bid to Get India on Board With Free Basics: Internet Is Like a Library - India Real Time - WSJ

Bullshit.

The internet is not a library. The internet is the network of roads that connect different libraries, shops, etc. The ISPs are the toll tax guys who take the toll and let us use the roads. Once we have paid the toll, then its nobody's business what vehicles I use to drive on that road or what places I visit.

 

[kg11sgbg]

Bullshit.

The internet is not a library. The internet is the network of roads that connect different libraries, shops, etc. The ISPs are the toll tax guys who take the toll and let us use the roads. Once we have paid the toll, then its nobody's business what vehicles I use to drive on that road or what places I visit.

That's an explanation.
In fact,the concept of FreeBasics breaks the net neutrality,which is a gloom for all of us.

 

[Desmond]

Some good news: Facebook's Free Basics has been suddenly shut down in Egypt

Facebook's Free Basics service has been shut down in Egypt, the social networking giant has said.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Facebook said it hoped to "resolve this situation soon" so the program, which it had launched with Etisalat Egypt two months ago, could be restored.

"We're disappointed that Free Basics will no longer be available in Egypt," it said. "More than 1 million people who were previously unconnected had been using the Internet because of these efforts." The reason for this sudden halt of service was not disclosed.

- - - Updated - - -

Bullshit.

The internet is not a library. The internet is the network of roads that connect different libraries, shops, etc. The ISPs are the toll tax guys who take the toll and let us use the roads. Once we have paid the toll, then its nobody's business what vehicles I use to drive on that road or what places I visit.

Addendum:

Some toll centers don't charge tax for two-wheelers or three-wheelers, but they still get access to the road and they can still drive about anywhere they want. Only limitation is the speed of their vehicles.

Free Basics is like a bypass road connecting stalls and shops of approved partners of Facebook only.

 

[kg11sgbg]

Some good news: Facebook's Free Basics has been suddenly shut down in Egypt



- - - Updated - - -



Addendum:

Some toll centers don't charge tax for two-wheelers or three-wheelers, but they still get access to the road and they can still drive about anywhere they want. Only limitation is the speed of their vehicles.

Free Basics is like a bypass road connecting stalls and shops of approved partners of Facebook only.

Bravado Brother for your excellent analogy.

- - - Updated - - -

Fact is that hidden agenda of FB is spilling out which is against net neutrality,and that is a danger for us the netizens. Faculty of the IIT's of India as well as the student community is up in arms(demonstrations + petition) against FB's FreeBasics.
Actually Free in FreeBasics is just a fad and farse term,which many people might unknowingly take for granted without knowing the actual truth.

 

[Desmond]

What we need is a full blown pirate party to tackle problems like this.

 

[thetechfreak]

Check this out: *bibhas.in/blog/free-basics-by-facebook-is-a-nightmare-on-the-internet/

 

[Saahib]

Sad part is that FB is using its "ill-informed" user base to create support for it.

I know that 99% of my FB friends will just blindly support it, even I had made post on my time against it (even before reading this or anything else) , no one even bothered to comment on it.

 

[topgear]

Mark Zuckerberg?s Latest Bid to Get India on Board With Free Basics: Internet Is Like a Library - India Real Time - WSJ

all right, Internet is like a library but what is FB then ? A gateway to hell !!

Anyway, we can afford basic internet service even if it's paid and by basic I meant using a little bit twitter, whatsapp or any other messenger like things and some e-mails as they say "BASIC". What was the speed like when internet was invented and for what ? Sending and receiving messages. How much data it needs ? I can get 25MB of data with only Rs. 4 for 2 days. That's 375MB of data for 30 days for Rs. 60. - even if it's solw 2G but it can get the job done when you are out of 3G coverage or really need some basic communication needs. We will get on ISPs and speed things on another topic.

What I'm trying to say is Freebasics is a way too insulting for us as a nation ? What some rich people thinks of us ?!! I think you all got the meaning. Some touchy adds or a big conference ain't going to change the way you think of us.

No sir, Keep your freebies with yourself as you will get a lot more from us later and the speech line would be " Nothing Personal, It's only Business "

So let us enjoy our freedom. And to those who still have in the illusion for freebasics I've only one thing to say " There ain't no such thing as a free lunch ".

 

[Flash]

If we go by the Mark's logic of Internet is library, then Facebook's free basics is a Librarian. This Librarian won't allow the readers to read their books of own taste, instead he will give or recommend specific set of books for the readers to read. If the user wants to read other books, he has to pay the Librarian a commission, as a fee.

 

[Desmond]

Free Basics shuts down in Egypt for good: A Week After India Banned It, Facebook's Free Basics Shuts Down in EgyptÂ*

Facebook’s “Free Basics” program in Egypt has been shut down, according to Facebook. It’s unclear why the new free internet service stopped working. However, the news arrives a week after the Indian government temporarily banned the program in the wake of on-going net neutrality concerns.

Free Basics is Facebook’s Internet.org project with a new name. It gives people free but limited access to Facebook and some select online partners. Mark Zuckerberg pitches Free Basics as an altruistic dreamer’s quest to bring knowledge to the world, a no-brainer on-ramp for literacy, light, and “Likes.” The Facebook angle on the whole thing is that it’s a high-minded and bleeding-hearted near-charity project, a noble mission. Zuckerberg’s been trying very hard to convince everyone that building an internet for poor people is a good idea, though he’s not had a ton of success.

The angle for anyone who can smell half a whiff of sanctimony-flavored corporate bullshit: It’s pretty convenient for Facebook that ~making the world a better place~ involves making sure as many people become thirsty data siphons and customers of Facebook’s products and platforms as possible.

While we don’t yet know what’s going on in Egypt, disdain for the program is well documented. In recent weeks, Indian net neutrality activists, academics, and entrepreneurs, have very publicly decried Free Basics as a way for Facebook to control internet access. (Which, of course, it is.) Zuckerberg argues that it is, undeniably, a way to connect people. (Which, of course, it is.) But the program will inevitably help Facebook become the major gatekeeper of information. Whether or not that’s a worthwhile compromise remains to be seen.

Reddit thread for the same: *www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/3z94u3/a_week_after_india_banned_it_facebooks_free/

 

[isaac12345]

Its pretty simple. Why does Facebook need to provide access to the WWW via itself? Because its basic business model relies on collecting as much data about as many unique individuals as they can. By providing 'free' access to the internet to poor people, they will earn money from their data without them getting any money back for it. If Mark Zuckerberg really cared about providing the internet for free, he would do just that, not via Facebook.
The ultimate goal of this logic is to replace the welfare state. - The New Face(book) of the Welfare State in India | The Wire