Facebook Free Basics
Part of the Internet.org by Facebook initiative and now includes the app Discover, the project includes the partnership between Meta Platforms with multiple companies including network providers and mobile operators. With the goal to provide access to communication tools, health information, education resources and other low-bandwidth services, the users of the service could access a selection of websites at no cost.
The operations of project includes:
July 2014: Zambia
October 2014: Tanzania
November 2014: Kenya
January 2015: Ghana, with Airtel
10 February 2015: India with Reliance Communications.
18 March 2015 and 7 October 2015: Philippines with Smart Communications
31 March 2015: Guatemala with Tigo
20 April 2015: Indonesia with Indosat
28 May 2015 and 26 March 2016: Pakistan with Telenor Pakistan
1 July 2015 : South Africa with Cell C
16 December 2015: Iraq with Korek Telecom
10 May 2016: Nigeria with Airtel Africa
June 2016: Myanmar with Myanma Posts and Telecommunications
February 2017: Nigeria with Etisalat Nigeria
March 2017: Algeria with Ooredoo.
The initiative has been both praised and criticized. On one hand, it has connected millions of people to the internet who might not have had access otherwise. On the other hand, it has faced criticism for potentially violating net neutrality principles by limiting users to specific services selected by Facebook and its partners. This led to its ban in India in 2016 due to regulatory concerns
Pros
Provides free internet access to underserved populations.
Encourages digital literacy by exposing users to basic online services.
Facilitates access to critical information on health, education, and employment
Cons
Criticized for violating net neutrality by limiting accessible content.
Potentially creates a "walled garden" by controlling which services are available for free.
Banned in some regions due to regulatory issues
Partners
Mobile operators worldwide
Tech companies such as Samsung, Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera Software, Nokia, and Qualcomm.