Facebook Will Still Back Internet.org Despite Indian Gov't Disdain For Free Basics

Mickeycaskill writes: Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg says Facebook will continue its Internet.org efforts in India, despite one of the initiative's programs – Free Basics – being banned by the country last month. Internet.org hopes to give more people access to the Internet, but India ruled 'Free Basics,' which offers free access to Facebook and selected apps and services violated net neutrality ethics. Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Zuckberg said the ban was "disappointing" for Internet.org's mission but hoped other programs such as satellite Internet and drones would be more successful. "It's crazy we're sitting here in 2016 and still, four billion people in the world don't have access to the Internet," he said. "In India we'll focus on different programs. We want to work with all the operators there."

Comments

fuck off zuckerfuck

[Anonymous Coward]

"It's crazy we're sitting here in 2016 and still, four billion people in the world don't have access to the Internet," he said.

But hes not helping them get access to the internet. He's only getting them access to facebook and facebook sanctioned sites. So the Indian govt is right.

Also one thing that developing countries dispise is it's citizens getting enslaved to a overseas companies services. So fuck off zuckerfuck. If you really meant what you say about internet access then you would be giving them unrestricted internet to any website including your competitor's.

Re:Wow, who is timothy?

[serviscope_minor]

"Indian government's disdain for free services..."

Oh the irony of reaming Timothy while you merrily misquote. It says disdain for "Free Basics", which is the name of the thing Zuckerburg is offering, not "disdain for free services".

It's not surprising there's disdain for Free Basics: it's not philanthropy, it's a cynical hardware subsidisation scheme by a for profit company for profit.