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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News Network
June 28,2020

Udupi, Jun 28: A student appearing for the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC) exams in Kaup taluk of Udupi district has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

Officials of the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Udupi District Health and Family Welfare Department have confirmed the report. 

The 16-year-old girl had appeared for the Kannada and Mathematics exams on June 25 and 27 respectively. 

Her throat swabs were sent for testing on June 27 after her father tested covid-19 positive. Today she too obtained positive report.  

The student is unlikely to appear for the science paper on June 29.

Meanwhile, health officers have ruled out the possibility of subjecting other students to covid-19 test as all necessary precautions such as physical distancing and usage of sanitization were taken in the examination centre.

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News Network
May 24,2020

Bengaluru, May 24: Karnataka has conducted 2.03 lakh tests across the 57 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) COVID-19 testing labs till Sunday morning, said the state Minister of Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar.

He informed that the state has doubled the number of tests in just 16 days after clocking 1 lakh tests on May 8.

"After clocking 1 lakh tests on May 8, we have doubled the number of tests in just 16 days. As on this morning, we conducted 2.03 lakh tests across our 57 ICMR COVID-19 testing labs. I congratulate doctors and lab technicians on this achievement," Sudhakar tweeted.

As many as 1,743 people have been detected positive for coronavirus in the state, of which 597 have been cured and discharged and 41 have succumbed to the infection, as per the Union Health Ministry. 

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News Network
May 6,2020

Bengaluru, May 6: More than a month after international flights have been barred, Karnataka government is preparing to quarantine all 10,823 of the state''s people poised to return home from overseas amid the Covid pandemic, an official said on Tuesday.

"The state has planned to quarantine all 10,823 passengers coming back to Karnataka. The quarantine guidelines framed as below would be applicable," said Health Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Pandey in a statement.

According to the Government of India, 10,823 Karnataka residents have been stranded abroad by April 30, comprising 4,408 tourists, 3,074 students, 2,784 migrants and professionals and 557 ship crew.

Out of the 10,823 people, the state government is expecting 6,100 to return early as the government has decided to allow Indians stuck abroad to return.

"All the passengers arriving at points of entry (airports and seaports) will be compulsorily screened for symptoms of Covid-19," said Pandey.

Point of entry screening will include self-reporting form verification, thermal screening, pulse oximeter reading, briefing with instructions, categorisation, stamping for some and downloading of Aarogya Setu, Quarantine Watch and Apthamitra apps.

Arriving passengers are also required to declare existing comorbidities such hypertension, diabetes, asthma or any lung disease, organ transplantations, cancer, tuberculosis and other ailments.

Passengers will be categorised into three groups: Category A (symptomatic on arrival), Category B (asymptomatic with co-morbidity or aged above 60 years) and Category C (rest of asymptomatic passengers).

Depending on the category into which the people fall, their quarantine place and time will be determined.

Category A arrivals will be subjected to institutional quarantine for a fortnight, Category B one week quarantine at a hotel or hostel, followed by another week at home, and Category C home quarantine for a fortnight.

Karnataka government is making elaborate arrangements and logistical means, deploying healthcare, police and several other departments into action to handle the huge influx of Kannadigas and state residents.

Pandey has issued a 21-page elaborate standard operating procedure (SOP) guidelines on how to face the international returnees.

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