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This App Lets You Piggyback Facebook's Free Internet To Access Any Site

Posted by timothy on from the bits-is-bits dept.

sarahnaomi writes In countries like Zambia, Tanzania, or Kenya, where very few have access to the Internet, Facebook is bringing its own version of the net: Internet.org, an app that gives mobile users free access to certain sites such as Google, Wikipedia and, of course, Facebook. While the initiative has clearly positive goals, it's also been criticized as an "imperialistic" push for Facebook colonies, where novice Internet.org users will grow up thinking their restricted version of the web is the real internet. To fight against that possibility, a 20-year-old developer from Paraguay is working on an app that tunnels the "regular" internet through Facebook Messenger, one of the services free to use on Internet.org's app. This allows Internet.org users to establish a link to the outside, unrestricted internet, circumventing restrictions.

67 comments

  1. Because some free Internet is worse than none by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Or something.

    1. Re:Because some free Internet is worse than none by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      Or something.

      Something is better than nothing, but the people doing nothing will whine about something.

  2. CDs by gbjbaanb · · Score: 3, Funny

    All we need now is for Facebook to release initial access to this app to users via CD distribution methods and the old internet will be new all over again!

    1. Re:CDs by itzly · · Score: 4, Funny

      and call it Africa On Line ?

  3. Thereby allowing facebook MITM attacks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So cool, so not private.

    1. Re:Thereby allowing facebook MITM attacks. by sherr · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No, there's no reason that you couldn't tunnel an encrypted (SSL) connection.

  4. Like the 100 mpg carburetor by rmdingler · · Score: 2

    Will this app be bought out and buried by the Facebook?

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

    1. Re:Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Wycliffe · · Score: 2

      Will this app be bought out and buried by the Facebook?

      There is no need to buy a piggyback program when it's much easier to just detect and block it.

    2. Re:Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Will this app be bought out and buried by the Facebook?

      No, like most big corporations where people find ways around their greedy restrictions, they will simply change all their APIs to make the new app no longer function. Then they will claim the app is a violation of their "copyrights" and threaten the creator with cease-and-desist letters and lawsuits. Microsoft used to be notorious for doing this whenever someone from the open source community found a non-Windows way to access Windows APIs. It rapidly becomes an escalating arms race the small time developer can't maintain.

    3. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by ironicsky · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Greedy? They are providing FREE Internet to the third world. I hardly consider that greedy.

      They developed it as an education and communication tool, allowing access to Wikipedia, Google and Facebook.

      That gives them access to knowledge, news, email, chat and other communication tools.

      The only other thing I would add is Khan Academy.

    4. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      "The only other thing I would add is Khan Academy." This gets to the heart of it- by acknowledging the drawbacks of this blinkered view of the web you just shot your own argument down.

      (p.s. it's not free, you pay with your personal information and privacy)

    5. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by operagost · · Score: 4, Insightful

      This is the kind of thing that makes it hard to be altruistic.

      Do nothing, but give lip service to social action, and everyone loves you.

      Do something, and be endlessly criticized for not doing more.

      This is true for both companies and individuals, by the way. If you ever make a great effort to help friends or family that are having a hard time, prepare for them to criticize you to everyone who will listen for not doing more.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    6. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Giving away something that's worthless to you pretty much is free, and internet privacy is worthless to most people.

    7. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by NotDrWho · · Score: 1

      Just look at every armchair critics on /. criticizing Bill Gates at every turn. "Bill is only giving African kids Windows computers, waaahhhh, waaaahhhhhh"

      Yeah, well what the fuck kind of computers are YOU giving to African kids?

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    8. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by stephanruby · · Score: 1

      (p.s. it's not free, you pay with your personal information and privacy)

      Youtube doesn't have ads when you watch Khan videos.

      I suppose Youtube could still track you, but the same could be said of any video you watch on the internet.

    9. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by ultranova · · Score: 1

      This is the kind of thing that makes it hard to be altruistic.

      Do nothing, but give lip service to social action, and everyone loves you.

      Do something, and be endlessly criticized for not doing more.

      Do something that seems altruistic on the surface but is in reality a thinly disguised power grab, and be defended by the same kind of useful idiots who once praised the Soviet Union.

      People might be better off with Facebook-net than nothing, but it has consequences beyond that - for example, real Internet providers have harder time to compete, thus leaving a lot of people who's view of the outside world will be effectively controlled by Facebook.

      --

      Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.

    10. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      After you graduate from elementary school, you'll have the knowledge that Facebook (and everyone else) is driven by money.

      Facebook does not have a heart an they are not required to have one.

      Instead, Facebook has super-rich CEOs and greedy, short-sighted shareholders.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    11. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      You're viewing the activity from too high an altitude.

      Zoom in to where you see some granularity and you'll discover that Bill Gates is increasing the supply of consumers.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    12. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by ubergeek65536 · · Score: 1

      This isn't altruism as one of the conditions of altruism is selflessness. This is obviously just another way to promote Facebook.

    13. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by operagost · · Score: 2

      Which product do you think "real" internet providers will have trouble competing with: free Internet.org, with access to only a few whitelisted services, or the hacked (but still free) Internet.org that allows you to go anywhere? Without the hack, you get basic access for free, and if you have some cash you can buy full access from a local company. With it, there are few reasons to pay anymore.

      So this guy basically just wants to give everyone free access to the complete internet, because entitlement.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    14. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What do you imagine is the value of the personal information of people who are too poor to have Internet service?

    15. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by lexman098 · · Score: 1

      I think the complain isn't that they didn't allow access to more sites, it's that they're marketing it as the "internet" when it's anything but. Free Wikipedia for Africa is great even if it is just a ploy to get more people on Facebook. Just label it as such.

    16. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      Well, if you think Internet access is a basic right, then you would of course think there's an entitlement to it.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
    17. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by rogoshen1 · · Score: 1

      Please don't assume for even a second they had altruistic intentions with this. Sure the outcome *might* be 'good', but more than likely it'll function as a way to shovel people onto The Facebook, harvest user information, and be well positioned for advertising if/when these economies start to pick up.

    18. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by NotDrWho · · Score: 1

      Bill Gates is increasing the supply of consumers.

      So is pretty much anyone else who is giving anything to charity. And at least they're giving, not just sitting back bitching about it.

      And do you really think that Bill Gates thinks some village that can't even afford running water is someday going to be a big-ticket Windows buyer? If his goal were really only to capture future Windows consumers, I'm pretty sure he'd be giving all his computers away in growing areas of China and India, not Africa.

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    19. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Wootery · · Score: 1

      increasing the supply of consumers.

      Isn't that just a cynical way of saying making Africans richer and more computer literate?

      Sure, the likely Windows lock-in kinda sucks, and a FOSS utopia would be great and all, but still it seems a lot better than doing nothing.

    20. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      I don't object to the project ... I object to the lie. The idea is to make a shitload of money off poor people who are desperate.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    21. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      No.

      China and India are more aware if Gate's bullshit than Africa.

      Look ... I don't object to the project. Gates can present it as a business plan instead of as a charity.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    22. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Wootery · · Score: 1

      Your phrasing rather implies you do object to the project.

      The idea is to make a shitload of money off poor people who are desperate.

      Let's try that more neutrally: there's a profit-motive here, whether or not it's benefiting the Africans themselves.

    23. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Let's try telling it like it is:

      The plan is to feed money to the greedy CEOs and shareholders.

      I know the difference between bullshit and wild honey.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    24. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by Wootery · · Score: 1

      Well ok, but you've not made a convincing case, you've just restated your opinion.

    25. Re: Like the 100 mpg carburetor by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Sorry. It's not opinion. It's reality.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  5. What if Facebook is blocked? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know, like a certain country with censorship...

    1. Re:What if Facebook is blocked? by fractoid · · Score: 1

      Australia? >.<

      --
      Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
  6. They need internet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just like they needed those european explorers too. Hooray for Zuckerburg.

    1. Re:They need internet by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      This.

      It's an exploitation of those who are desperate.

      When Big Business has tapped out those with means, it's time to go after the poor.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  7. Or not... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Loophole closed in 5...4...3...

  8. Yeah.... by Richard_at_work · · Score: 1

    ... this won't last.

  9. MARK ZUCKERBERG SAYS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The more we connect, the better it gets". Come on Slashdotters, let's connect like they do on Facebook. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

  10. Good deeds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No good deed goes unpunished.

  11. And you know what they'll use it for? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Phishing scams.

  12. Isn't Google basically the Internet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How do you have access to Google and not the rest of the Internet through that? Do you just get Google's apps (minus search)?

    1. Re:Isn't Google basically the Internet? by jpapon · · Score: 2

      I would assume you could see search results but can't open any of the links... which would be incredibly frustrating.

      --
      -- Let us endeavor so to live that when we pass even the undertaker shall be sorry. -- M. Twain
    2. Re: Isn't Google basically the Internet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cached pages anyone?

  13. I blocked internet.org already by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, after reading the "facebook colonies" stories I simply added it to the hosts file. Previous recent entries were stuff with fb.com in it - e.g. they sneaked newsroom.fb.com past me.

    1. Re:I blocked internet.org already by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd like to do this as well, can anyone recommend a good host rules app for windows platform?

    2. Re:I blocked internet.org already by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      Whoosh, but I get it.

      Well played.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  14. BUT... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But you also need to make sure you don't allow Google or Apple to control the apps.

  15. Seems counter to the goal by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    I thought the goal of this was to make sure that other countries are quickly made as unproductive as us. If we let them see the internet beyond facebook they might come to realize too quickly that there is actually useful material out there as well.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  16. So.. by Kryptonian+Jor-El · · Score: 1

    How do you download the app if you do not have internet access beyond facebook?

    --
    All your 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 are belong to us
  17. Failbook confirmed for next AOL by kheldan · · Score: 1

    Anyone remember AOL? If you have senior-citizen parents you very well might know what AOL is, because if they have it they probably still think the Internet is just AOL. That's what Failbook is heading towards according to this story.

    Of course I'm also hoping Failbook becomes as irrelevant as AOL, sooner rather than later..

    --
    Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
    1. Re:Failbook confirmed for next AOL by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except they're still paying $19.99 a month to AOL after their grandson signed them up for DSL a couple years ago

  18. oh wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    better hope facebook doesnt find out

  19. Against TOS by Nukenbar · · Score: 2

    Clearly against the terms of service and will quickly be patched and disabled. Being critical of facebook in this instance seems a little office base. They are clearly getting limited access that they would not already have. No one is entitled to everything for free.

  20. Hasn't this all happened before? by morgauxo · · Score: 1

    In the United States, where very few are not willfully ignorant of technology, America Online is bringing its own version of the net: America Online, an application that gives computer users access to certain features such as E-Mail, mindless time-killing games and, of course, instant messaging with search functions made for creepy people. While the initiative has clearly profitable goals, it's also been criticized as an "imperialistic" push for AOL colonies, where novice Internet users will grow up thinking their restricted version of the web is the real internet. To fight against that possibility, an 11-year-old developer who goes only by the handle Mr L33t is working on an application that tunnels the "regular" internet through AOL's Instant Messenger, one of the services free to use on America Online's application. This allows AOL users to establish a link to the outside, unrestricted internet, circumventing restrictions.

    1. Re:Hasn't this all happened before? by jbolden · · Score: 1

      Not really. BBSes started as closed communities. AOL provided a large basket of services for their users as did competitors like Prodigy. There were at the time pure ISPs who just offered internet but mostly people wanted BBS services. Internet was added to AOL's services around 1995 and proved very popular as an add on, eventually replacing all their other products in the basket.

      So not really the same thing.

    2. Re:Hasn't this all happened before? by morgauxo · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I know. Growing up in a small town where everything interesting was long distance AOL was pretty much off the radar for me back then.

      I'm thinking more of the late 90s when a lot of people, having missed the whole BBS days were getting their first experience with online anything with AOL as an internet connection. Remember the "provide your own access plan" I knew a lot of people who used that with their cable modem or college campus ethernet connections and it was the only way they even considered accessing the web.

  21. out to lunch by jbolden · · Score: 1

    Some of the comments from the article are nuts like:

    "We'd hate to see ISPs and Facebook police these workarounds, which would show that they care less about users' access to the internet and more about the terms of the deals, open internet be damned," Levy told Motherboard.

    What does Josh Levy think? User access to Facebook is what is paying for this access. Or course they care about the terms! Why would they want to fund someone using Tumblr, Yelp, Google+, Twitter...?

  22. Internet? by Darinbob · · Score: 2

    Hmm, if there is no internet in those places, but Facebook can add an "app" to get internet access, then I end up confused. How does the Facebook app get to the internet if there is no internet access? Maybe this is for mobile phones, but even then if a mobile phone can get to Facebook then it can obviously get to anywhere else on the internet. Or is Facebook rolling out its own access points in poorly connected parts of Africa for Facebook app access only?

    1. Re:Internet? by franciscohs · · Score: 1

      Providing Access to Free Basic Services
      The Internet.org app provides free basic services in markets where internet access may be less affordable. It allows people to browse selected health, employment and local information websites without data charges. The app is currently available to Airtel customers in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia, Tigo customers in Colombia and Tanzania, and Reliance customers in India. It will continue to expand to other parts of the world.

      http://internet.org/projects

    2. Re:Internet? by TubeSteak · · Score: 1

      Maybe this is for mobile phones, but even then if a mobile phone can get to Facebook then it can obviously get to anywhere else on the internet.

      The detail you're missing is "free"
      Facebook either pays the mobile operator or creates a (advertising) revenue sharing partnership so that mobile access to Facebook is free to that telecom company's customers.

      Pretty much exactly what the concept of Net Neutrality is intended to quash.

      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    3. Re:Internet? by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      But if customers have access to Airtel (presumably an ISP, or mobile phone service with IP service) then don't they already have free access to google and wikipedia without any help from Facebook? If there are data charges then those apply whether or not Facebook has an app, right? Or is there an agreement with Airtel that any access that uses Facebook's special app won't count as data usage (thus there's no engineering "magic" in the app which is what their web page implies)?

    4. Re:Internet? by franciscohs · · Score: 1

      Yes, that's how it works. They already have cellular service but not necessarily data services, so they provide data services for free to certain sites. Or in the case that they may already have data services, these sites don't count towards total usage.
      On top of giving access to these sites, it's a way to enable data services for users that don't have it and that may never get to it due to the upfront cost and can now use data to access other sites (for a fee) if they desire it.

  23. RFC 2324 by BadPirate · · Score: 1

    A protocol by means of securely tunneling data across Facebook messenger using only Muppet Stickers and smiley faces.

    It's funny because it's doable.

    --
    - Holy crap, I've got MOD points! Who thought that was a good idea.
  24. Real? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    There is no 'real' internet. There is no 'official' internet.