Is FreeBasics A Threat To India’s National Security?

How programs like FreeBasics are a threat to India's National Security

You must have seen full-page newspaper ads from Facebook asking to support Free Basics. Reliance Communications is Facebook's sole telecom partner in India to offer a set of basic internet services free to its subscribers. The service is called Free Basics. Earlier known as internet.org, Free Basics has been criticised by several experts as being against the spirit of net neutrality.

Net neutrality means Internet service providers should enable access to all content and applications regardless of the source, and without favouring or blocking particular products or websites.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has asked Reliance Communications to stop the Free Basics service of Facebook, at least for some time. "We have asked them (Reliance Communications) to stop it and they have given us a compliance report that it has been stopped," a senior government official told TOI.

However, Reliance Communicat...

Limited Time

Full Access

$10
Monthly

Included:

  • Access to All Articles.
  • One Plan. No Tiers.
  • No Ads.
  • Cancel anytime.
register now

 
Do you have a tip or sensitive material to share with GGI? Are you a journalist, researcher or independent blogger and want to write for us? You can reach us at [email protected].