What would happen if internet develops its own caste system in the near future? Only the so-called high-profile people of the society will have privileges like it was in the old days. While, in India, we are trying to get us out of that cursed system, this venture will throw us back to the same era in digital world. Facebook started their philanthropic initiative (internet.org) back in 2013 that will connect over 5 billion people to the internet. The platform used for this purpose will be internet.org but only a select few websites will be accessible to the user and just the content without images, videos, etc.
Do you think this initiative is a noble idea to get people connected all across the world? Did you try looking what is on the other side? Let me tell you why it can be fishy and might be a curse rather than a blessing. One of the definitions of net neutrality says that all the data on internet in its actual form should be available to all the users irrespective of their location and medium of access. However, Facebook’s initiative won’t serve that purpose. Only those who have subscribed to their services will be accessible on this platform.
That means for over 5 billion people, the word internet will mean Facebook and internet.org but we all know that it is much more than that. What if they get comfortable with such free access and never wish to get the real deal? We will be the ones responsible for letting this happen.
The guidelines set by Facebook for any website to get registered are such that very few websites actually make it to the list. I would be glad to support the cause if Facebook was providing free, uniformly distributed and secure internet services without any data capping.
Okay so here is one of the contradictions about Facebook’s philanthropic idea! The platform internet.org is primarily based on the fact that everyone in this world should have basic internet access. So who amongst us are those who cannot access basic internet or say afford it? People with limited financial resources will be the answer and they are also those people who don’t buy smartphones. Now let’s get back to accessing free internet. So the technical structure of internet.org is made in such a way that only some Android smartphones are able to access services over encrypted secure (https) connections. The majority of people who access internet will not be able to do the same and might become vulnerable to man-made attacks.
“Everyone who has access to the internet knows the value of privacy on internet.”
Why I am so concerned?
I don’t want people to think what those Facebook walls confine in itself is internet. In addition, every user must have a secure access to actually free internet that allows them to move forward and make progress. Just thinking about this trend going on for decades can give you a picture of what I said in the title that “There will not be another Facebook again”. Startups in developing countries will not be able to meet the guidelines and the number of people accessing actual internet will start decreasing. They will not be able to provide the services to most of the people who will think that internet.org is “The Internet”. The rich will become richer and the poor will become poorer.
However, I will be fully supportive if:
1) Basic internet is completely free without any special preferences being given to certain websites or Facebook itself.
2) All the data is accessible to everyone irrespective of their location.
3) Privacy and secure connections are guaranteed.
4) There is no data capping.
5) People are free to choose what they want to see and not force-fed with advertiser’s information.
6) One of the goals of this initiative is to ultimately bring people to the actual internet.
Now, if you are an Indian then you must know the effects of caste system, how it differentiates, problems faced by the society and how limited the resources become for some people due to it. We still haven’t been able to eradicate it completely from our society. Now just think what will happen to the whole world..!!
Let’s support net neutrality together!
