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Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Says No to Facebook’s Free Basics, Supports Net Neutrality

posted by cmn32480 on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:33AM   Printer-friendly
from the win-for-privacy dept.

linkdude64 writes:

"No service provider shall enter into any arrangement, agreement or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs for data services being offered or charged by the service provider for the purpose of evading the prohibition in this regulation," TRAI said in a statement.

This would effectively eliminate Facebook's strategy for "Free Basics" which was to serve users certain websites for free, while charging for others.

Facebook had to say:

"Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free [as in beer] platform. While disappointed with the outcome, we will continue our efforts to eliminate barriers and give the unconnected an easier path to the internet and the opportunities it brings."

I am pleased that any agents within the government who wanted this surveillance and propaganda engine put into place for the purposes of crowd control have been denied their plans.

Full article:
http://www.hindustantimes.com/tech/trai-s-says-no-to-content-based-differential-tariff-offers-supports-net-neutrality/story-1pOAI14aHvXYRu3AQNzMjP.html

Additional source:
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/facebook-shuts-down-free-basics-in-india/article8223068.ece

TRAI ruling:
http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/WhatsNew/Documents/Regulation_Data_Service.pdf

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:50AM

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:50AM (#303906) Journal

    Our purpose with Free Basics, was to lock people in to Facebook offerings. Hey, Microsoft got away with it, by offering free computers to schools! They've managed to rope most of the world into a Microsoft world, despite the fact that Unix-likes can do things better, faster, and more rationally. Giving away free stuff pays off! And, now, India won't let us give away free stuff!

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  • (Score: 4, Insightful) by Gravis on Sunday February 14 2016, @02:36AM

    by Gravis (4596) on Sunday February 14 2016, @02:36AM (#303931)

    you know it's a con when even Runaway thinks it's a con.

  • (Score: 2) by TheRaven on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:21AM

    by TheRaven (270) on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:21AM (#304091) Journal
    Exactly. If you actually want to do what they're claiming that they want to do, then subsidise a very limited service (e.g 64Kb/s 500MB/month maximum). That's not enough that people who can afford to pay for Internet will stop doing so, but is a huge step up from no Internet access. Of course, if you do this, then people will quickly learn that the ratio of useful content to bandwidth consumption of Facebook is basically zero and Facebook won't make any money from it.
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