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Zuckerberg Defends 'Free Basics' App With Comparison To Hospitals, Education (indiatimes.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Facebook has been under heavy criticism for distributing its "Free Basics" app in areas of the world that have less-developed communications infrastructure. The app essentially provides free access to a limited selection of internet sites. Free Basics was recently banned in India over net neutrality concerns. Mark Zuckerberg has now published a response in the Times of India.
He says, "We have collections of free basic books. They're called libraries. They don't contain every book, but they still provide a world of good. We have free basic healthcare. Public hospitals don't offer every treatment, but they still save lives. We have free basic education. Every child deserves to go to school. And in the 21st century, everyone also deserves access to the tools and information that can help them to achieve all those other public services, and all their fundamental social and economic rights. That's why everyone also deserves access to free basic internet services."
Facebook and Internet.org are also fighting the bad publicity elsewhere online, and even in local newspapers. "In essence, Facebook is claiming that since people quickly move on from Free Basics, it's less of a threat as a restricted replacement to the neutral Internet, and is more of a stepping stone to it."
He says, "We have collections of free basic books. They're called libraries. They don't contain every book, but they still provide a world of good. We have free basic healthcare. Public hospitals don't offer every treatment, but they still save lives. We have free basic education. Every child deserves to go to school. And in the 21st century, everyone also deserves access to the tools and information that can help them to achieve all those other public services, and all their fundamental social and economic rights. That's why everyone also deserves access to free basic internet services."
Facebook and Internet.org are also fighting the bad publicity elsewhere online, and even in local newspapers. "In essence, Facebook is claiming that since people quickly move on from Free Basics, it's less of a threat as a restricted replacement to the neutral Internet, and is more of a stepping stone to it."
"He says, "We have collections of free basic books. They're called libraries. They don't contain every book, but they still provide a world of good.
The library isn't restricted in what books it carries. Not having all of them is primarily a physical space and economic limitation -- if they could carry all of them they would.
And the books they choose to carry is determined by criteria that is not simply a short list made by their corporate sponsors.
In contrast the restrictions with his internet access are entirely arbitrary and self serving. There is no valid comparison to be made.
We have free basic healthcare.
Uh, in the US? Since when? Unless you mean being poor/uninsured and having hospital ERs pass the cost along to others. Perhaps rich white dudes, like Zuckerberg, and I have different definitions of the word "free".
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
If his motivations are entirely philanthropic in nature, there is an easy solution to their concerns:
Remove Facebook from the free list, and let the government decide what qualifies for the plan.
I'm a signature virus. Please copy me to your signature so I can replicate.
What Zuckerberg needs to do is appoint an independent board to determine who gets into this. The board should have the mandate to provide access to as much balanced and impartial information as possible, period. The only economic interest in this mandate should be to stay within the budget they are granted.
Aligning a service like tihs with the goals and agenda of any private organization is dangerous indeed. Then it is no longer altruistic and I fail to see how it can ever be good for the people.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
So Facebook is offering FREE, limited internet to poor people in third world countries. What are the critics of this plan offering to poor people in third world countries? Nothing. Some people like to complain for the sake of complaining.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.