Net neutrality: Facebook shuts Free Basics programme in India

February 11, 2016

New Delhi, Feb 11: In a boost to net neutrality, Facebook has decided to shut down its controversial 'Free Basics' programme in India, following telecom regulator Trai's move to bar operators from charging different rates for Internet access based on content.free

Facebook had met with severe criticism for its programme, which aimed at providing basic Internet access to people in partnership with telecom operators.

Critics saw this as violation of the principle of net neutrality that states that entire Internet should be available to everyone on equal terms as Free Basics allowed access to selected websites.

"Free Basics is no longer available to people in India," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed response. The service was available in India with Reliance Communications. In December, RCom put the service on hold following a Telecom Regulator Authority of India's directive to that effect.

Ruling in favour of net neutrality, Trai has barred all telecom operators from offering discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content, impying that operators will have to charge the same price for data used, irrespective of website or app accessed by the consumer.

This puts an end to Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel's zero rating plans in India. Yesterday, Facebook board member Marc Andreessen had set off another controversy by terming Trai's decision as an 'anti-colonialist' idea and said the country would have been better off if it had remained under British rule.

Facebook founder and head Mark Zuckerberg distanced himself from the comments saying the remarks were "deeply upsetting" and did not represent the company's thinking.

"India has been personally important to me and Facebook. Early on in my thinking about our mission, I traveled to India and was inspired by the humanity, spirit and values of the people," he wrote in a post on the social networking site.

"It solidified my understanding that when all people have the power to share their experiences, the entire world will make progress," he added. Andreessen deleted the tweet and apologised through a series of tweets yesterday.

"Last night on Twitter, I made an ill-informed and ill-advised comment about Indian politics and economics. To be clear, I am 100 per cent opposed to colonialism, and 100 per cent in favor of independence and freedom, in any country, including India," he said later in a series of tweets.

Zuckerberg has come out in defence of the programme time and again, saying it did not block or throttle other services and is not in conflict with net neutrality. Launched in 2014, Facebook is running the Internet.org programme across over 17 countries providing basic Internet access to over one billion people.

Following allegations of violation of net neutrality, Facebook rebranded the programme as 'Free Basics'. It had said the rebranding will help Facebook distinguish the free basic Internet offering from the large number of activities the US-based company is pursuing to help get new users online across the globe. Recently, it ran a big media campaign in support of the programme.

Comments

VOX POPULI
 - 
Saturday, 13 Feb 2016

KUDO'S & HATS OFF TO TRAI. ATLAST ATLEAST YOU COULD SMELL & UNDERSTAND THE HIDDEN AGENDA OF THESE ZIONIST MASTERMINDS.FACE BOOK & FREE BASICS = FB (READ BETWEEN THE LINES) BOTH ARE SAME AND AGENDA IS CLEARLY HIDDEN. FB GUY IS USING OUR INDIAN CROOKED CORPORATES AS HIS AGENTS TO SPREAD HIS HIDDEN AGENDA AND FOOL THE MASSES OF INDIA IN THE NAME OF NET NEUTRALITY. AS TRUE INDIANS LET US STAND UNITED & HAVE THE COURAGE OF QUESTIONING THE SO CALLED SHAMELESS & USELESS CREATURE \ZUCKERBERG' & HIS AGENT., SO CALLED 'MARC ANDREESSEN'., HOW DARE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT & COURAGE TO INSULT GOVT OF INDIA., ITS TRAI POLICIES & FOOL THE MASSES OF INDIA. MY DEAR FELLOW INDIANS WHATEVER THE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES MAY BE, END OF THE DAY WE ARE ALL ONE PEACE LOVING & PRESTIGIOUS CITIZENS OF INDIA. UNITED WE STAND ., BUT DIVIDED WE FALL. LONG LIVE INDIA & INDIANS. JAI HO."

S.M. Nawaz Kuk…
 - 
Thursday, 11 Feb 2016

Good Dicision taken by TRAI

IBRAHIM.HUSSAIN
 - 
Thursday, 11 Feb 2016

Modi spread red carpet to Zackerberg, hugged tightly. Zackerberg was knocked down by TRAI for his hidden bad intensions and thoughts.

TRAI done good job roping noses of telecom operators of India taught good lesson to them.

Thanks to TRAI

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 1,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 1: Eighteen private hospitals here have been slapped with a show-cause notice after a 52-year old patient with influenza-like illness symptoms died here on being allegedly denied admission by them citing "non- availability" of beds. 

Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesdy said refusal to provide treatment was not only inhuman but also illegal as he tagged a copy of the notice in a tweet. 

"Notice has been served to the hospitals taking cognisance of the (media) reports about the denial of admission to a patient in emergency. Denying medical assistance during emergency is not only inhuman but also illegal," he tweeted. According to a report, the son and nephew of the patient took him to the 18 hospitals on Saturday and Sunday but he was not admitted on the pretext of non-availability of beds or ventilators. 

The man died later. The Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare issued the show-cause notice to the top authorities of the hospitals under the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act, 2007. 

"By denying admission to the patient, your hospitals have violated the provisions of the KPME Act. You are liable for legal action," the notice said, seeking replies within 24 hours as to why action should not be against the hospitals. 

This was a "clear violation" of providing medical assistance and admission necessitated under the agreed provision of the KPME registration. Private medical establishments cannot refuse or avoid treatment to patients suffering from COVID-19 or having symptoms, the common notice added. 

The incident comes in the backdop of repeated instructions by the government that hospitals cannot deny admission to the patients suffering from coronavirus or having symptoms.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 19,2020

Mangaluru, May 19: With lockdown 4.0 coming into force, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) started bus services from Mangaluru to various destinations today.

According to officials, buses started plying from Mangaluru to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi and other areas with limited passengers. A bus, which left for Bengaluru from Mangaluru had less than 30 passengers on board.

“Depending on the demand, the buses will be operated with 50% of the capacity. Measures have been taken to ensure that social distancing norms are adhered to while purchasing tickets from the counter,” said S N Arun, KSRTC Divisional Controller.

However, the KSRTC is yet to take a decision on operating Nagarasarige buses in the city. 

“Only those destinations, which can be reached by 7 pm has been considered by the KSRTC while operating the buses. As a result, after 11 am, no buses will travel to Bengaluru from Mangaluru. Further, permission will not be accorded for the travelling of pregnant women, children below 10 years old and senior citizens above 60 years old. Thermal scanning is used for checking the temperature of the passengers before boarding the buses. All the buses are sanitised after each trip,” he said.

Further, he said the contact number, name and address of the passengers are collected by the officials during the travel.

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coastaldigest.com web desk
June 21,2020

Bengaluru, June 21: Three youngsters lost their lives when an alleged wheeling stunt turned near Jakkur flyover in the city today morning. 

The deceased have been identified as Mohammed Hadi, Ahmed Khan and Syed Riaz, all residents of Nagavara Govindapura.

The tragedy took place at around 6:30 a.m. While two among them died on the spot, the third one breathed his last at a hospital, soruces said.

Yelahanka traffic police have registered a case in this regard. 

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