Facebook's Free Basics Banned For Good in India,,, by _ShAnE_StArK_ 2016/02/09 10:45
Late last year, the Indian government temporarily
banned Facebook's free Basics program over net
neutrality concerns. Now, it's banned for good.
A new regulation issued by the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India bans more than just
Facebook's offering: The ruling bans zero-rated
internet services altogether. In simpler terms,
that means that services which allow users
access to some apps and sites without using up
any of their mobile data allowance are now now
longer allowed.
Last year, Indian net neutrality activists argued
that Free Basics was a way for Facebook to
shape internet access. Which is true. Zuckerberg
& Co. countered that it's actually a way to
connect people who may otherwise not have
internet access. Which is also true!
But Facebook's claims to be some kind of
charitable foundation, tossing internet this way
and that to the needy, doesn't seem to hold
much sway with Indian officials. In the new
ruling, the Telecom Regulatory Authority writes
plainly that "no service provider shall offer or
charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on
the basis of content."
And with that, Facebook's Free Basics is dead in
India.
For its part, Facebook will be disappointed: It's
spent a lot of time, money and effort trying to
roll out the scheme in India. And it's already had
to shut down a similar scheme in Egypt .
All of which suggests that while providing
internet to those without it is undoubtedly a good
thing, doing so while providing only access to
your own software and services doesn't wash in
the slightest. Time to try again, Facebook...
Late last year, the Indian government temporarily
banned Facebook's free Basics program over net
neutrality concerns. Now, it's banned for good.
A new regulation issued by the Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India bans more than just
Facebook's offering: The ruling bans zero-rated
internet services altogether. In simpler terms,
that means that services which allow users
access to some apps and sites without using up
any of their mobile data allowance are now now
longer allowed.
Last year, Indian net neutrality activists argued
that Free Basics was a way for Facebook to
shape internet access. Which is true. Zuckerberg
& Co. countered that it's actually a way to
connect people who may otherwise not have
internet access. Which is also true!
But Facebook's claims to be some kind of
charitable foundation, tossing internet this way
and that to the needy, doesn't seem to hold
much sway with Indian officials. In the new
ruling, the Telecom Regulatory Authority writes
plainly that "no service provider shall offer or
charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on
the basis of content."
And with that, Facebook's Free Basics is dead in
India.
For its part, Facebook will be disappointed: It's
spent a lot of time, money and effort trying to
roll out the scheme in India. And it's already had
to shut down a similar scheme in Egypt .
All of which suggests that while providing
internet to those without it is undoubtedly a good
thing, doing so while providing only access to
your own software and services doesn't wash in
the slightest. Time to try again, Facebook...
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