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Facebook has announced the Internet.org Platform, "an open program for developers to easily create services that integrate with Internet.org." The partnership is designed to deliver affordable Internet access to the developing world. However the initiative has been criticized for violating net neutrality:
Facebook says it will allow more websites and other online services to join its "free mobile data" Internet.org scheme.
The announcement follows a backlash against the initiative. Opponents suggest it compromises the principles of net neutrality, because it favours access to some sites and apps over others.
But Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg said it was "not sustainable to offer the whole internet for free". "It costs tens of billions of dollars every year to run the internet, and no operator could afford this if everything were free," he said in an online video posted to Internet.org's website.
Also discussed at TechCrunch, Ars Technica, Gizmodo, and Quartz.
Previously:
Internet Access in Developing World With Drones
Facebook's Internet.org - "Internet-For-Everyone" - Launches in Zambia
India Debates Net Neutrality
(Score: 4, Interesting) by VLM on Tuesday May 05 2015, @02:52PM
except that the well in this case IS PEOPLE.
I've been working on a theory that international data collection agencies are for a short time going to be the new swiss bank for 3rd world hell holes. In other words this is where they'll send a heck of a lot of their ill gotten money.
Theoretically data on dirt poor people is not economically useful. However for oppression purposes, El Presidente will gladly toss some money at FB to figure out who to send the death squads against to maintain power. Your kid clicked "like" on the same dumb pop song as some opposition leader's kid? Click "bang!" and one more dead native kid, and El Presidente is scarier and less likely to be a coup victim than ever.
The problem with this .biz model is once the general population clues in that the primary purpose of the "free" internet access is to kill, torture, or steal from them, not being complete idiots like americans are, they'll drop the "free" internet like a hot potato.
So this .biz model only works till the bodies start piling up. Probably won't take long in some areas. Not sure if the have a followup biz plan in the works.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday May 05 2015, @03:09PM
That's deliciously cynical.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 05 2015, @04:14PM
Well, until they notice that the people who disappeared from the "interbook" shortly after also disappear from real life … after all, what could be more suspicious than leaving a free service just for the fear that data is collected about you? Do you have anything to hide?