Free Basics..... why not Free Internet :
As has always happened, the human society has resisted change. Be it the invention of electricity, or automobile engine.
There have always been faces who have rejected these new ideas. This time its the turn of Free Basics - a philanthropist initiative by Mark Zuckerberg to connect even the remotest part of the world by internet. The naysayer's are also doing their best by citing various facets of this new begining, but what they seem to miss is that they constitute jusy 0.001 % of the highly privileged self sufficient society which sits on 80 % of the world's resources. These people, being the elite segment of the society, are not the direct beneficiaries of the service.
The recent publication of an article in Khabar Lahariya - a weekly newspaper run and published by women in multiple languages, has given actual insights into how the rural population views the Free Basics. And, according to them, Free Basics is a harmless but ultimately unimpressive product.
The idea of connecting people in the remotest part of the world would not bear any result, if they are not able to use Google and Youtube.The search engine provides information on a plethora of subjects and youtube would help in seeing live demonstrations of those models.
On social media, Free Basics has been strongly condemned for violating the open nature of the web. Net neutrality activists oppose the platform because it includes only websites and apps approved by Facebook. Several Indian entrepreneurs have also opted out of the platform because they believe that it will curb new innovation.
“We exist today because when we started, the internet in India was neutral and free. How can we support something that kills the neutrality of the internet now?” Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and CEO of Paytm—and among the most vocal critics of the service—told Quartz in December.
India’s telecom regulatory body has put Free Basics on hold in India since Dec. 23.
It is in this scenario that the findings of a lesser known publication, which is entirely run by women, and sold in almost 800 villages acquires significance. Unlike mainstream publications, this newsprint has helped its founding members to educate themselves and acquire college degrees.
Tabassum is from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh while Kavita— a founding member of Khabar Lahariya, who likes to go by her first name only—is based in Banda district of Bundelkhand in the same state. Kavita holds a Masters of Arts degree. Lakshmi, who also uses her first name, is currently based in Lucknow, and hails from Sheohar district in Bihar.
In the audio clip, Tabassum and Lakshmi accept that the service could be a good start towards bringing rural population online. Both of them have strongly vouched for Free Basics, as it can provide the the very basic and vital information to villagers, like weather updates, cyclone warning to fishermen etc.
“At times in villages people don’t have the money to spend on internet, so they don’t use it. But if Facebook is available for free, people will at least use it and experience the internet,” Lakshmi said in Hindi.
“And it’s not necessary that if people use (free) internet, they won’t use the (full and paid) internet. I feel that people will get habituated to using the internet because when we see an advertisement of something, we develop the curiosity to know more. So as per me, this is a good idea.”
However, the three women question why the government is keeping this service limited to Facebook.
The entire concept and idea of helping the most unprivileged would remain a dream until the entire internet and not, only Facebook, is made freely accessible.
As the nation rises to the debate of Free Basics, let us now include INTERNET in the picture and work together to make it a reality.
