Here’s How the Indian Internet Is Fighting Back against Free Basics

The Indian Internet has come together to support net neutrality and oppose Facebook's Free Basics initiative — which many claim is against the core principles of the Internet. Here's how they're banding together: elite and anonymous, across the shimmering data-streams of the electronic online.

By Vandita Kapoor

December 30, 2015

The Free Basics debate is going strong in India. With Facebook pushing hard — full-page ads and Mark Zuckerberg’s editorials in Indian papers — Internet users are pushing back equally as hard.

Here are some of the ways in which Indians are fighting for their right to a free and fair Internet:

1. Speaking out on Twitter:

If FreeBasics is really FREE then why is FB spending millions on ads for its promotion.Act wisely.Don’t sign #SaveTheInternet #NetNeutrality
— Ayan Kumar Pan (@ayankumarpan) December 30, 2015

Today is the last day. Come on India. We dont need Free Basics. We need #NetNeutrality

— Jatin Kapadia (@jatinkapadia) December 30, 2015

Total farce. Nothing comes free and if its free then the cost is hidden. #FreeBasics #Facebook #NetNeutrality
— udit prakash (@uditprakash) December 30, 2015

Net Neutrality: The internet should be free. Free Basics: Yes. The internet should be free. Problem – Different meanings for free & internet
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) December 30, 2015

Last day register your demand for #NetNeutrality at savetheinternet.in ! It’s up to all of us. Don’t let them shut down the free Internet.

— VISHAL DADLANI (@VishalDadlani) December 30, 2015

2. Parodying Facebook’s Free Basics ads:

View post on imgur.com

3. Sending urgent petitions to the TRAI:

IIT and IISc faculty have already sent a signed petition to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Now the CEOs of nine Indian startups — including Zomato and PayTM — have also sent a petition to the TRAI t prevent indian telecom operators “from acting as gate-keepers offering restricted Internet services instead of the Open Internet.”

free basics

Image for representation only. Source: Flickr

4. Rebutting the Free Basics proposals through blog posts:

You can read Mahesh Murthy’s spirited argument against Free Basics here. He has also defended Indians’ right to a free a fair Internet on TV news debates.

5. Running Save The Internet ads on TV:

free basics

Source: Reddit

PayTM has been running SaveTheInternet advertisements on Tata Sky and Dish TV.

Featured image source: Twitter

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