India Has Banned Facebook’s Free Basics
Experts maintain that zero rating is fully against the principles of net neutrality. Among which one principle is that all content on the Internet should be equally treated. In other words it is that, banning ISP’s (Internet Service Provider) from vending “Fast Lanes” to various companies that run online. On the other hand, it can lure customers to some extent because it is free to access after all. However, the reason behind its ban is that such schemes prevents the growing competition and strangles startups. Reliance Communications partnered with Facebook in providing Free Basics, but however was asked to stop free basics by Telecom Regulator in last December. Facebook had spent millions on its free scheme and in Times of India Newspaper, Mark Zuckerberg had devoted personal comment on it. In Free Basics Advertisement, Zuckerberg compared Free Basics to a Public Library, recommending that its limited subscriptions are still helpful to the Country. Despite of such efforts, Facebook failed to get cover of Free Basics in India. The ban by India wasn’t solely for Facebook but to ban Free Basics from any organization. See below notice by Telecom Regulator :
