This episode of aroundstartups is really important for each one of us. Facebook has come up with a project called freebasics.com & according to them they are helping poor india’s which is far away from the reality.

What is facebooks free basic? [In reality]

  1. A separate Internet pipe, which has limited number of websites for access.
  2. It is insecure and un-encrypted so technically anyone can sniff your conversation.
  3. Facebook will keep copy of all the data [& will run analysis for our usage pattern]
  4. All the competing facebook products are not part of it.
  5. They can change terms & conditions anytime they want.

I have known Nikhil & Kiran for long and they have been one of the few leaders who stood against this Facebook FUD and launched campaign called save the internet, to make us all aware what is really happening.

In this episode they spoke how this free basics initiative by Facebook will kill India’s startup ecosystem.

Complete Interview

How can we all help:

  • Send your petition to TRAI [30th Dec is last date, act now]
  • Startups should write letter to TRAI, Indian Government raising concern about feee basics & its impact on them.

It should be noted that some luminaries in our startup ecosystem have strongly condemned facebook’s evil plan & each one of us are contributing to the movement in our own way. I hope our regulators listen & act accordingly.

Discussion Elsewhere: https://www.reddit.com/r/india

Note: This podcast is under creative commons licensee, feel free to download, share & educate your peers about what Facebook is really trying to do with we, Indian Internet users.

Credits:

Background Music LA Montage by Rockit Maxx
Audio Editing, Mixing & mastering at Mediaforart studios, Gurgaon
Graphics by Jugal Mody

Your suggestions and feedback are most welcome to make this project the best of its kind. You can write to me at atul@aroundstartups.com or connect via Twitter or Facebook.