Not All “Free Basics” ~

Come 2016 February, Indians witnessed the clash of interest between Net-neutrality supporters and Facebook Free-basics followers with TRAI ruling against differential data pricing for limited services from mobile phone operators that effectively terminated zero-rating platforms in India. Zero rating provides access to a limited number of websites for free of charge to the end user. Net-neutrality subscribers from India (SaveTheInternet.in) brought out the adverse implications of Facebook Free Basic program in a bid to spread public awareness. However, the TRAI authorities signalled the end of Free Basics in India by ruling out differential pricing. Some more ‘Bad press’ed facts! The use of Facebook may have adverse psychological effects and social media obsession no less comparable to drug addiction. Facebook has also been banned by some governments of Syria, China, and Iran. Facebook's company tactics including tax evasion, real-name user condition policies, censorship, and its role in the PRISM surveillance program have also undergone prominent media coverage. One of the earlier and most prominent litigation cases that the company faced was it's CEO Mark Zuckerberg broke an oral contract to build the "Harvard Connection" social network in 2004 that led to the launch of Facebook.   ( Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in one of his videos on Russian controversy - Source: Mashable.com ) All said, there’s no real quick fix for issues like the vulnerability of offensive content or surge of fake news, but as the world moves forward and takes on new challenges in social media and communication, Facebook’s sure going to be at the centre of everyone’s conversation.