Internet.org or Free Basics is not bad. But what follows is TERRIBLE

“Internet.org” or “Free Basics” as it being called in India is a effort to get free (restricted) internet access to the masses who can’t afford internet.

It would allow people to access Facebook and a couple of other websites for free by allowing Facebook and affiliates to bear the cost of access. Now, everyone is wondering how can this be a bad thing? People without any access are getting some access. Why are some idiots ranting about this ?

This isn’t new. There are variations of such subsidised internet access already. Cellular providers already have some data packs that allow unlimited messaging on Whatsapp and access to Facebook. Facebook is trying to streamline this in order to help more people get on board. I don’t have a problem with that.

Free is not free forever

What I am worried about ( and others who understand the consequences ) is what this would allow Telcos and Internet providers to do in the near future. To explain that let rephrase what “Free Basics” is.

Give restricted access to select services for “free”.

Now this also means that the inverse is also possible since it is implemented by internet providers.

Give restricted access to select services for a “premium cost”.

Imagine if you had to pay 100 Rs to watch 10 videos on youtube, would you accept that ? If you had to pay per tweet , would you accept that ? This is what Telcos would want to do next to make more money out of services which already have paid for internet access. Free basics gives them an argument to differentiate services and websites. I offer free access to abc.com but I will charge you for xyz.com.

Also, you may no longer have one big data package. Instead you can be forced to buy separate packages for Texting, Calling and Videos. Can you imagine how hard it would be to decide something as simple as a data recharge on your phone if differentiated services comes into play ?

Yin-yang

Some good means some evil is included too ( not always, but unfortunately it is the case here ) . Let me try to define Free basics again.

Give access to “select” services for free.

Now Let me stress what the underlying truth is.

Internet providers can “filter” content for you.

In order to achieve this, the following becomes OK for Internet Providers to do.

1. They can and need to know what websites/services you access .
2. They can decide whether or not you can access a particular website or services.
3. They can filter out services or protocols as required by Governing authorities.

Take a moment to digest that and ask yourselves the following.

1. Would you be ok if someone decides for you what you can and cannot use on the internet ?
2. Would you be ok if you cannot use a secure connection to talk something private with a close one ? ( e.g https protocol is not allowed for websites to be included in free basics plan).
3. Would you be ok if you cannot access True news because your government filters it ?
4. Would it ok if you had to pay separately for each and every service you used ?

More problems

There are a couple of other problems with “Free basics”.

Mainly the crippled vision of internet that the first time users will be exposed to. They will never understand the true power of an open and free internet.

“Free Basics” would be exposed to an internet with no privacy. This can be overwhelming for some folks who are experiencing internet for the first time.

Telcos can choose what to charge or what to provide for free. So some services provided by telcos themselves get advantages. e.g. Wynk Music downloads are free on Airtel network. Don’t you think it is unfair competition for Saavn and Raaga ?

This is bad for entrepreneurship and startups.

This is still good.

The intention behind all this is good. Getting more people online. Giving them access to information. Getting them connected.

But the path taken to achieve needs to be changed. Take “Free Basics” forward. But change just one thing .

Don’t restrict the websites an internet user can access. Free access to unrestricted list of websites and services.

Tommy owes Sonny

But hey!! Who will pay for the free access ? How can we control it ?

I have some suggestions. They may be flawed , but it is what I believe.

1. Band Cap the free internet usage( Give them 100 MB or so of free usage)
2. Let the government pay for the free basics from Tax money.
3. Tax the other internet users who can allocate some amount of their bandwidth for “Free Basics”.

These are just my thoughts. Feel free to comment or reply to these.