Facebook is back at it again. This time they seem more desperate than ever as previously, their propaganda against the net neutrality met some strong opposition from the vocal set of Netizens, Hacktivists, journalists and online content creators. I logged into Facebook this morning and saw a notification on my tab that you can send a message to TRAI to save for Free basics in India like few of your friends did (Yea we all have that friends). This time they have a serious plan to break the voice of the people and they are doing this by inviting people to sign their allegiance to the free basics service. The same people who change the display picture to France's flag during Paris terror attacks because they find the colours attractive.
What is Net Neutrality?
Net neutrality is the concept that states all the content, applications and the data should be treated equally regardless of the source and can be accessed without any partiality from the Internet Service Providers towards certain channels. It forbids the telecom companies and the ISPs to choke certain services or to boost it up. There should be no distinction between what's available on the Internet. This keeps the Internet free and fair for all.
What is Free Basics in India?
Facebook rebranded it's internet.org scheme with Free basics a few months ago to add a personal touch. Facebook is promising to empower the people in the rural background of India that has still not reaped the benefits of Internet by providing them free Internet services. BUT, yes there's a big but (no pun intended) here. The free scheme does not cover all the services that Internet offers rather it is a gateway to a few selective brands, companies and internet provider (Reliance and Airtel) that have signed up for it along with Facebook. This means all the online traffic on the free services will be regulated and this would hamper the other brands, businesses and online independent creators. This is against the whole idea of Internet and hampers the common platform.
Why Facebook is Desperate for Free Basics?
Facebook that once dominated the throne of world's fastest growing social network has significantly collapsed in keeping it's users engaged. There's a decline in growth rate of the company. There drop is such that there seems to be no other way of getting people on Facebook then coming up with a fancy free Internet schemes that have only selective services free. The idea to target the countries where people are still not connected to Internet this includes the rural villages in India and other parts of the world where the reach of Internet has still not worked out seems rather sketchy after the surveys and reports show that Facebook has lost it's charm that it once had. New social networks and applications like Tumblr, Twitter and Snapchat have taken over. Good for them, they still have Instagram.and Whatsapp.
The free services may sound like a good deal but in the long run this scheme may well be responsible for taking your freedom away. You have the right to see and browse what you want to see and Facebook is politely asking you to do otherwise. Let them tell you what's good for you because it's free. The content on this network would be highly controlled and if you would want to access a different website that is not a part of the Free basics it may take time to load. This will create a gap between the free services and the services available on the Internet. To access other parts of the internet you would have to pay and the bias would not allow the new content to surface on the internet becaue of this gap. The platform would be divided. This is not what Internet stands for. If Facebook is really so generous than it should take up the cost of accessing the entire Internet not just Facebook and the services associated with it.
What Can I do?
We are the consumers, we have the power, the freedom to decide for ourselves. It's time to wake the authorities and create a storm. Tell your government to stop putting their nose in our businesses. Internet is open to all and shall remain so. After a huge public cry, E-commerce giant Flipkart had to pull out of Airtel zero (platform of free basics) It's time we expose Reliance and Airtel for their role in breaking the Net neutrality as well. You have the power to #SaveTheInternet. Share the information, make people aware, share your grievances with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, oppose people who are defending Free basics in the veil of destroying the net neutrality. Don't trade your freedom for free resources. Your freedom is in your own hands and it can be compromised if you don't support the movement.
Ending this post with a famous quote of Benjamin Franklin
Any society that will give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
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