Facebook has officially ended its Free Basics service in India, just days after a TRAI verdict had made the platform illegal. The end of the app is a big win for net neutrality activists who have been campaigning against it for months.
TRAI’s new regulations state that no entity can charge differential prices for a particular data-based service or content. Doing so will incur fines from Rs 50000 to Rs 50 lakh. Free Basics lets people access a few sites such as Facebook or AccuWeather for free. This directly goes against the principles of net neutrality, which states that no favor should be granted to one offering over another.
A Facebook spokesperson has officially authenticated the demise of Free Basics in India by sending out a statement which says that the tool will no longer be available to the people in the country. The app is still accessible in approximately 30 countries across the world. India was one of its biggest targets, though, so pulling the plug here is a big blow for its plans.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed disappointment over TRAI’s decision. He plans to move ahead with Internet.org’s other initiatives like Express Wi-Fi and solar-powered planes. He later tried to distance himself from comments that Marc Andreessen, a company board member, had made regarding the ruling.
Also Read: TRAI bans differential pricing in favor of net neutrality
According to Andreessen’s now deleted tweets, banning Free Basics was an economically suicidal move. He also derided the government for its anti-colonial stance which he thinks was financially catastrophic for India. He further tried to prove his point by claiming that the nation’s growth nose-dived after the British left the country.
Andreessen’s opinions consequently sparked a widespread backlash which had culminated in him apologizing for his tweets. Zuckerberg says he found the comments deeply upsetting and reiterated his personal and company’s respect for India.