Facebook trying to muster user support for internet.org ahead of DoT report

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, is tapping into its huge user base in India to promote Internet.org, a controversial project, which, he says, will subsidise high-cost data for people in low-income countries like India.

Internet.org, a Facebook-led initiative partnering tech giants like Samsung and Qualcomm and mobile operators in India, proposes to bring 5 billion people online.

Right now, Internet.org is only available with a Reliance SIM card. Internet.org, which found initial support from carriers like Reliance Communications, however, has come under fire for violating net neutrality principles.

Stumped by the weight of the debate, Facebook is now trying to influence opinion and muster support from users in India to defend its platform Internet.org ahead of an expected shower of public comments on a DoT panel's report, which says free internet services like that of the social network's violate net neutrality principle.

Facebook is pressing its users in India to express their opinion on allowing free internet access platforms like Internet.org and make a case before lawmakers for it

"Do you want India to have free basic online services? The mission of Internet.org is to get everyone in the world online. Show your support for free basic online services in India," says the message, which pops up on a Facebook user's homepage.

"Soon India will decide on the future of services like Internet.org. Please comment on this post today to help us tell your MPs that you want to connect everyone in India. ?#?connectindia? ?#?connecttheworld," the message says further.

Facebook counts over 125 million users in the country and if the social network can get at least one per cent of its users to speak for it, Internet.org will get 1.25 million supporters against the one million messages that were sent to regulator TRAI through an online campaign in support of net neutrality.

Net neutrality implies that equal treatment be accorded to all internet traffic and no priority be given to an entity or company based on payment to content or service providers such as telecom companies, which is seen as discriminatory.

The DoT panel has opposed projects like Facebook's Internet.org, which allow access to certain web sites without mobile data charges. The data charges are borne by the web sites or service provider.

According to the DoT panel, users of Facebook's Internet.org could have free access for only a few websites, and Facebook's role as gatekeeper in determining what websites were on that list would be violation of Net Neutrality.

''Collaborations between telecom operators and content providers that enable such gate-keeping role to be played by any entity should be actively discouraged,'' the panel said.

The neutrality debate followed the launch of Airtel Zero by telecom major Airtel, offering free access to some websites on its network.

The platform has been opposed by the IT companies, especially the start-ups as a discouraging move for internet-based firms who don't have financial muscle and could check growth of Internet eco-system in the country.

The panel, however, favoured allowing of zero-rating platforms, like Airtel Zero, but with a rider that operators should take prior permission of telecom regulator Trai to launch it or take action against such plan if they are founding violating principle of net neutrality, sources said.

The DoT panel's report on net neutrality, which has been placed on MyGov website for public comments till 15 August, has so far received just over 500 views.