The hottest topic for discussion at the moment is Free Basics service of social media giant, Facebook. The social media firm is leaving no stone unturned in their attempt to get maximum support for their Free Basics service in India, while on the other hand, there are several voices shouting loud against this concept.
Earlier, this initiative was known as “internet.org” and now its name has been changed to Free Basics. Facebook says that these services are absolutely free and any mobile operator can join them in their initiative but the people who are against the service, says that there is nothing free; they will recover the cost of Free Basics from “non-free services”. Facebook gives the permission of posting their content to the Free Basics user while one flaw that is being pointed out in the service is that Facebook will have the access to the personal content of the apps of the users.
The first objection that most of the people have is that a foreign firm will define for Indians what actually basic service for them is and the users will be at the mercy of the social media giant and its telecom partner, Reliance Communications (RCom) as to what websites they can visit and what apps they can use.
Twitter has also shared its views and opinions on the matter, have a look:
It's neither free nor villainous, as claimed. Allow multiple such initiatives or none. It's really that basic, free or otherwise#FreeBasics
— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा ☮️ (@milinddeora) December 30, 2015
Net Neutrality: The internet should be free.
Free Basics: Yes. The internet should be free.
Problem – Different meanings for free & internet— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) December 30, 2015
Facebook strangled organic reach of posts and pages, unless you pay. And u believe FB is here to provide free internet for all? #FreeBasics
— Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) December 24, 2015
The basics of Facebook's #FreeBasics scam, in Hindi. Deadline for objections is the 30th! Go savetheinternet.in !https://t.co/PbsyFDZ5EZ
— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) December 25, 2015
Dear MZ! Stop fooling India on the name of digital equality. BIG NO to your farce of #FreeBasics. #SaveTheInternet: https://t.co/rxFFaGi2hN
— Dilip K. Pandey – दिलीप पाण्डेय (@dilipkpandey) December 26, 2015
Hey Mark Zuckerberg, why did you have to mislead us Indians about @facebook Free Basics?https://t.co/SRXfHqqmnc
— Mahesh Murthy (@maheshmurthy) December 28, 2015
Zuckerberg going Modi way to pursue his malicious dreams. TVC, mass SMS, print Ads supporting farce of #FreeBasics. #iSupportNetNeutrality
— Dilip K. Pandey – दिलीप पाण्डेय (@dilipkpandey) December 29, 2015
Only thing left for Mark Zuckerberg is to come and promote Free Basics on Comedy nights with Kapil.
— dorku (@Dorkstar) December 29, 2015
#Facebook sure is spending a lot of money to promote #Freebasics. Now this is getting very suspicious
— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) December 30, 2015
My grade 9 eco teacher taught me an acronym that I've found super useful.
TANSTAFL
There
Ain't
No
Such
Thing
As a
Free
Lunch#FreeBasics— Mekin (@_mekin) December 23, 2015
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