Free basics is an initiative by Facebook where certain Internet services will be provided free of cost to everyone. In India, reliance Telecom has partnered with Facebook where Facebook will act as a gatekeeper and Reliance will be the service provider.
Demerits of Free basics:
-Free basics covers selected websites and ignores other websites and content providers. Thus it goes against principle of net neutrality.
-In the long run free basics can be misused for price manipulation for providing same services which once used to be free.
- It also helps one particular service provider, for example Reliance telecom will use it for promoting its services thus discriminating other service providers like BSNL, Aircel, Airtel etc.
-The nexus between "service providers" and "content providers" might be misused for anti-state propaganda.
-Free basics covers selected websites and ignores other websites and content providers. Thus it goes against principle of net neutrality.
-In the long run free basics can be misused for price manipulation for providing same services which once used to be free.
- It also helps one particular service provider, for example Reliance telecom will use it for promoting its services thus discriminating other service providers like BSNL, Aircel, Airtel etc.
-The nexus between "service providers" and "content providers" might be misused for anti-state propaganda.
Merits:
-Its not neutral internet if majority doesn't have access to it.Free basics will work on this principle.
-India is a large country where basic internet services are still to be made available to millions and especially to the rural India.Hence free basics will make an inclusive internet regime. This ultimately will lead to people empowerment.
-Recently GoI launched Digital India program. Free basics will help in making this programme effective by providing last mile connectivity.
-Its not neutral internet if majority doesn't have access to it.Free basics will work on this principle.
-India is a large country where basic internet services are still to be made available to millions and especially to the rural India.Hence free basics will make an inclusive internet regime. This ultimately will lead to people empowerment.
-Recently GoI launched Digital India program. Free basics will help in making this programme effective by providing last mile connectivity.
Thus the debate boils down to "access" vs "neutrality". In absence of " access to internet " there is a lack of "internet inclusiveness" where as violating net neutrality will ultimately create a "digital caste system". Given India's current digital ambitions free basics certainly augments the government work,besides being pro-poor. However it goes wrong on many commercial and regulatory fronts. Hence first a strict regulatory regime, periodic government scrutiny over contents being provided and having a say over the websites selection should precede before allowing any such initiative.
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