Facebook rebrands Internet.org as ‘Free Basics’

[Thakur]

Facebook rebrands Internet.org platform as ‘Free Basics’, fails to address all net ne

Facebook launched its Internet.org initiative in India earlier this year in partnership with RCom. Facing criticism for being against the ethos of net neutrality, Facebook opened the platform to developers. Now it claims to have made further improvements to the platform and renamed it to ‘Free Basics’.

The Free Basics platform has gone live today in 19 countries, with more than 250 services. Over 60 new third-party services have been added to the platform. Facebook also announced that 30 services from India have been added to the platform, which includes the likes of English Dost, M-Kisan, Mera Doctor, My Rights and SkyMet among others.


Developers are now free to add their apps to the platform, as long as they fulfill a set of technical criteria. Furthermore, users on FreeBasics website can select what services they want to activate and access. Facebook is also making it easy for users to search for specific apps or services on the platform.

In a post announcing Free Basics, CEO Mark Zuckerberg also writes, “We’ve improved the security and privacy of Internet.org. We already encrypt information everywhere possible, and starting today Internet.org also supports secure HTTPS web services as well.”

While on paper making the platform open to all developers encourages transparency, Facebook still reserves the rights to which apps will finally be available. A look at the terms and conditions and you will find this hidden – “Submission does not guarantee that your site(s) will be available through the Internet.org platform. In other words, Facebook is acting as a gatekeeper, which again is against net neutrality
Facebook rebrands Internet.org platform to ‘Free Basics’, fails to address all net neutrality concerns | Latest Tech News, Video & Photo Revie...

 

[Sarkar]

While Facebook’s free service Internet.org faced criticism in India, it appears that the social network hasn’t given up on it yet. It has now decided to rebrand the product to ‘Free Basics by Facebook’.

The announcement was made at the Facebook Headquarters in Melno Park, California by Chris Daniels, VP of Internet.org, in the presence of a small group of Indian journalists.

The app as well as web platform offers access to more than 250 services, which are now available in 19 countries across the globe including India. Free Basic users will also get access to 60 new free services. The announcement comes before PM Modi’s town hall meet with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the new campus.

Zuckerberg has also written a post stating how a soybean farmer from rural Maharashtra ‘makes better parenting decisions by accessing expert advice through the BabyCenter app for free through Internet.org.’

He further talks about the ‘improvements’ and the platform being ‘open to all developers’. “We’ve improved the security and privacy of Internet.org. We already encrypt information everywhere possible, and starting today Internet.org also supports secure HTTPS web services as well,” he added.

In India, the net neutrality debate and massive public outrage had made many take sides, and some big names like NDTV, Cleartrip and some properties of Times Group decided to part ways with Internet.org as a result.

Facebook rebrands Internet.org as 'Free Basics' – Tech2

 

[Sarkar]

:shy Oops Thakur ji already posted but why did you posted it in Gadgets section ?

Is Internet.org a mobile phone or gadgets or it's accessories ?:huh

I am confused :u

 

[Thakur]

Ddf rules
Special pm Wewake bro :k

 

[Rahulan Raj]

Haha, victim of ''net neutrality'' :hehe