IIT, IISc faculty slam Facebook's Free Basics

Academicians from India's premier institutes IITs and IISc have slammed Facebook's Free Basics initiative, terming it "flawed" and "misleading". In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, around 50 faculty members from IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Kharagpur, Madras, Patna) and IISc Bengaluru have denounced the proposal dubbing it a "lethal combination that will lead to total lack of freedom on how Indians can use the internet". Listing three major flaws in the programme, the scientists urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to "thoroughly reject" Facebook's "free basics" proposal. "The first obvious flaw in the proposal is that Facebook assumes control of defining what a 'basic' service is. "Facebook will have access to all your apps' contents. "This flaw is not visible to the lay person as it's a technical detail, but it has deep and disturbing implications. Since Facebook can access un-encrypted contents of users' 'basic' services, either we get to consider health apps to be not basic, or risk revealing health records of all Indians to Facebook. "The third flaw is that the term 'free' in 'free basics' is a marketing gimmick." Top Comment Yes i support Net Neutrality and Free Basic will create problem in Digital IndiaMilind Mahindrakar The academicians said that the 'Free Basics' proposal "is flawed as above is alarming but not surprising, for it violates one of the core architectural principles of internet design: net neutrality. "Compromising net neutrality, an important design principle of the internet, would invariably lead to deep consequences on people's freedom to access and use information. "We, therefore, urge that the TRAI should support net neutrality in its strongest form, and thoroughly reject Facebook's 'free basics' proposal."

Trai to extend deadline for comments on net neutrality to January 7

Telecom regulator Trai is extending by a week, to January 7, the last date for receiving comments on its paper on differential data pricing -- a key aspect of the raging debate on net neutrality. "It is being extended to January 7, primarily due to extension requests of COAI and AUSPI," an official source told PTI. The deadline for comment on the paper was ending today. Although the paper by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) does not mention or use the term net neutrality, it details the idea of zero-rating platforms that have stirred up the big debate across the country on the issue. Trai has received about 16.5 lakh comments -- highest ever on any paper floated by it till date, the official said. As per sources, comments received through Facebook or Free Basics platform are around 8 lakh. The regulator has also received similar number of messages from people opposing Facebook's Free Basics and other zero-rating programmes, and about 3,000 individual messages. As per SavetheInternet forum, the net neutrality principle says that internet service providers should not block or discriminate against any applications or content that rides over their networks. Facebook has launched campaign where it is asking users to support Free Basics scheme under which the user can access some websites for free without paying internet charges. The regulator had received over 10 lakh comments on first consultation that it floated around net neutrality.

Trai aims to resolve some neutrality issues by early 2016

As the debate over net neutrality resurfaces, telecom regulator Trai has said that it is looking to solve the issues "part-by-part" and also aiming to come up with the final guidelines based on the views received from different stakeholders, by early 2016. "We expect to resolve some of the (issues pertaining to) the basic principles of net neutrality next year," Trai chairman RS Sharma told PTI in an interview. As per SavetheInternet forum, the net neutrality principle says that internet service providers should not block or discriminate against any applications or content that ride over those networks. A debate on net neutrality stirred across the country after Airtel decided to charge separately for internet-based calls but withdrew it later after people protested. Internet activists and experts flayed the operator for 'Airtel Zero' service along with Facebook's internet.org service, currently renamed 'Free Basics'. "Just as your phone company shouldn't decide who you can call and what you say on that call, your ISP (internet service provider) shouldn't be concerned with the content you view or post online," says the forum. However, there are issues between telecom operators, internet-based companies and consumer interest which has to be balanced by the regulator. Amid debate over zero-rating plans and telecom firms offering discounted tariffs for accessing certain websites, Trai issued a consultation paper seeking comments on whether such differential pricing should be allowed. Facebook's Internet.org had partnered with Reliance Communications in February this year to provide free internet access to many websites as part of the initiative. "When some issues are big, you need to resolve them part-by-part. We are currently dealing with the issues as they arrive," Sharma said. The 20 most beautiful women of 2015Risottop.com The Ultimate Way to Get Cheap Hotel RoomsSave70

Facebook's Free Basics Trai submission runs into hot water

Various Facebook users on Friday reported that they had been "signed up" as supporters of Facebook's Free Basics service against their will. Multiple users reported being automatically signed up when they scrolled down the page using which one can send a template email to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in support of Free Basics, a Facebook program which provides certain internet services for free. Even as a strong verbal volley ensued, Facebook issued a formal statement saying no one was being signed up against their will. "Got conned into signing the #FreeBasics petition on FB. DON'T "SCROLL DOWN TO LEARN MORE"! Signs you up immediately!" tweeted@ accidenteshwari, along with a mobile phone screenshot of the prompt page. "OKay... FB just listed an uncle's account as having signed up to support Free Basics. He passed away two years ago," wrote@grondmaster on Twitter. In an official statement reacting to these user reports, Facebook said: "People are not being auto enrolled. To show support for Free Basics people are required to click 'send email' before their submission is made. There is a clear action required." At the time of going to press it wasn't yet known if this was a result of a programming bug. The letter to Trai in support of Free Basics says, "I support digital equality for India. Free Basics provides free access to essential Internet services, such as communication, education, healthcare, employment, farming information and more. It helps those who can't afford to pay for data, or who need a little help with getting started online. And it's open to all people, developers and mobile networks. With 1 billion Indian people not yet connected, shutting down Free Basics would hurt our country's most vulnerable people. I support Free Basics and digital equality for India. Thank you."