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Facebook in Talks With U.S. Government About Bringing "Free Basics" to America

posted by janrinok on Saturday October 08 2016, @04:19PM   Printer-friendly
from the follow-the-money dept.

takyon writes:

Facebook is interested in bringing zero-rated "Free Basics" Internet access to Americans, after its failure in India:

Facebook has been in talks for months with U.S. government officials and wireless carriers with an eye toward unveiling an American version of an app that has caused controversy abroad, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The social media giant is trying to determine how to roll out its program, known as Free Basics, in the United States without triggering the regulatory scrutiny that effectively killed a version of the app in India earlier this year. If Facebook succeeds with its U.S. agenda for Free Basics — which has not been previously reported — it would mark a major victory for the company as it seeks to connect millions more to the Web, and to its own platform.

The U.S. version of Free Basics would target low-income and rural Americans who cannot afford reliable, high-speed Internet at home or on smartphones. The app does not directly pay for users' mobile data. Rather, it allows users to stretch their data plans by offering, in partnership with wireless carriers, free Internet access to resources such as online news, health information and job leads.

Also at Ars Technica, CBS, USA Today, and CNET.

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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @04:28PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @04:28PM (#411780)

    Facebook is interested in bringing zero-rated "Free Basics" Internet access to Americans, after its failure in India

    At facebook: hey, let's try the same scheme with real morons this time...

    Starting Score:    0  points
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       Insightful=4, Funny=1, Total=5
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Total Score:   5  

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday October 08 2016, @05:44PM

    by Ethanol-fueled (2792) on Saturday October 08 2016, @05:44PM (#411798) Homepage

    Americans' personal vanity knows no bounds.

    Just after the Jew Marissa Mayer was caught sucking up to a mass-warrant with Yahoo, here we have another Jew attempting Jew bullshit.

    Jews are destroying Europe, and you pantywaists are not doing a goddamn thing about it. To elaborate: Merkel was caught telling ZuckerJew to silence the malcontents, which he started doing.

    Your destiny is in your hands. Will you sink or swim?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @09:28PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @09:28PM (#411841)

      You got serious issues, man...

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @10:08PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 08 2016, @10:08PM (#411846)

        Day by day I wonder
        If I will be torn asunder
        By these things that I know that nobody else knows
        Or maybe it’s the drinking
        I guess we should consult a Bible
        Everybody needs a sign - or
        Bless the birds and the bees
        The flowers and trees
        And blessed be the slacker