Facebook Suffers A Blow As TRAI Bars Free Internet Services

Telecom regulator’s decision to ban ban differential pricing of data evoked mixed reaction from the industry, with telecom companies and Facebook expressing disappointment, and internet associations and startups welcoming it.

France’s Internet watchdog, CNIL has given Facebook a three month notice to stop collecting the non-user data, as it has now come to light that the company has been collecting the data of the users who are not a part of the social network when they visit a Facebook web page. Free Basics is offered in 38 countries. “This restricts one of Internet.org’s initiatives, Free Basics, as well as programmes by other organizations that provide free access to data” the 31-year-old billionaire posted on Tuesday. “Not only because India was expected to be such a critical piece of the overall Internet.org success story, but more so because it has potential unsafe knock-on effects for the universal access initiative in other markets”.

Critics and Internet activists argue that allowing free access to a select few apps and Web services disadvantages small content providers and start-ups that don’t participate. We know that connecting them can help lift people out of poverty, create millions of jobs and spread education opportunities.

Internet.org is Facebook’s umbrella initiative to bring Internet access to the unconnected.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has effectively put an end to the net neutrality debate in the state by banning free access to the limited set of online services.

Zuckerberg said that Facebook’s mission was to make the world more open and connected.

Readers: Will Internet.org be able to salvage Free Basics in India?

He said, “Today India’s telecom regulator made a decision to restrict programs that provide free access to data”.

Everyone in the world should have access to the internet. Free Basics was a $1billion project initiated by Facebook back in 2013.

Ram Sevak Sharma, chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), told Reuters he hoped its ruling would clarify ambiguity about net neutrality and “that India has set the record straight that will be followed [the] world over”. Internet.org has many initiatives, and we will keep working until everyone has access to the internet.