Thank you Ebele and Akua for availing yourselves. Welcome to KICTANet. For me I would like to understand what Free basics by Facebook is all about. For example, what is the idea behind it- to introduce people to the Internet? to provide certain Internet services eg information for rural communities? Is it philanthropy by Facebook or a business model for a certain audience? It would also be good to hear about Free Basics vis a vis net neutrality. In the sense of the transition from Free basics to full Internet. Once again welcome to KICTANet. Regards, 2015-12-01 7:02 GMT+03:00 Ali Hussein via kictanet < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>:
Grace
This is a great initiative and I applaud the Facebook team for making themselves available for this discussion.
1.Firstly my concerns about zero rating certain sites. Foremost of which is obviously Facebook. I'm really curious to understand the process that FB uses to choose these websites. Shouldn't the community that is being exposed to this 'closed garden' be given a say on which websites they would like to access in this 'free program'?
2. In which countries and regions is Free Basics operational? Do the regulatory environments of the US, Canada, India and EU allow FB to operationalize Free Basics because I'm certain that Internet Penetration levels have not hit 100% in those regions.
3. What are your comments on the recent re-jigging of Internet.org after a spate of bad press especially in India? Internet access is critical for development but we need to be sure that it's not skewed against our own burgeoning Internet Economy.
4. How can FB improve its image beyond that of seeking eyeballs for its core business - Advertising?
Ali Hussein Tel: +254 713 601113 On Dec 1, 2015 12:07 AM, "Grace Githaiga via kictanet" < kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
Dear Listers
Greetings. I hope your week has started well.
The topic of Net Neutrality has become an important global Internet Governance issue in the last two years, and has generated some interesting debates.
In Kenya, Facebook has partnered with Airtel to offer users zero rated services, christened "free basics" which means that several websites have been selected (for lack of a proper word) to participate in the platform, where users access these websites for free. However, the same users cannot access any other website unless they pay for the data.
Different positions depending on where their proponents stand have been shared. Please find one here by Nanjira Sambuli http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/free-internet-freedom-create/-/620/297563... and another by our own Mwendwa Kivuva http://www.circleid.com/posts/20151124_zero_rating_a_poisoned_chalice_for_th...
Those for pro zero rated services have argued that it gives more users free access to the Internet, and that it is a genuine attempt to connect the unconnected. Those on the opposite side argue that zero rating stifles innovation, leads to customers lock-in, is anti competitive behavior, confuses the users on the true meaning of the Internet, denies users choice, and makes policy makers lazy in ensuring proper affordable internet is availed to the masses.
*Facebook's Head of Public Policy, Africa Ebele Okobi, and the Public Policy Manager, Africa Akua Gwekye* have graciously agreed to respond to any queries the community has on zero rated services.
*The Process*
Please articulate your concerns and ask questions as we usually do when we have moderated debates. The facebook team will then look at the questions and respond to you on Wednesday Evening. Depending on how it goes, we can then see how to continue engaging with them.
*I think this is a great opportunity for the facebook team to unpackage free basics issue, and it is my hope that the debate will be exciting given the prominence members of the list have given the net neutrality debate. *
*Over to you listers! And a very warm welcome to Ebele and Akua. *
Warmly
Grace
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The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Grace L.N. Mutung'u Nairobi Kenya Skype: gracebomu Twitter: @Bomu <http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu>