Facebook isn’t getting the love it aspires to get for Free Basics, the rejigged version of much maligned Internet.org in India. The social-networking giant roped in its Internet.org director Chris Daniels to reach out to the public via popular online bulletin, Reddit.com recently.
Chris attended their Ask Me Anything (AMA) session to help people clarify their doubts on the so-called philanthropic initiative by the company.
As per the Reddit AMA tradition, numerous questions are thrown at the presiding guest, who will then answer to the queries shared by registered Reddit users. It was highly expected that Chris will have to bear the brunt of barrage of pointers that will certify Facebook’s logical take on its Free Basics initiative.
As expected, the session brought some interesting takeaways, most importantly being that Facebook eyes Google+ and Twitter for its Free Basics program and help their cause to bring more people to the internet.
We wouldn’t reject apps at their discretion and would not launch with operators if rejecting apps was a condition of their participation. We’d also be happy to have Twitter, Google+, etc on the platform.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
Talking expansively about the work and progress that Free Basics has made, Chris mentioned the ease with which users get comfortable with internet and are willing to pay, once they understand its importance in lives.
Within a month, 50 percent of people who started their journey with Free Basics are paying for the entire internet and have the ability to every service. Only single digit percentages of people are only on Free Basics after that month.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
Many have questioned Facebook’s integrity and actual motive behind running the Internet.org campaign but Chris was quick to dismiss that point of view, with his own ideaology to share.
The only way we make money is if people convert to full paid internet because then we show them ads in the full version of FB. And getting people online is the purpose of the initiative. People always say we have economic interest. Our economic interest is best served by getting people to the full internet in this case.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
The need for Facebook to reach out to millions of people in India was recently highlighted when major dailies carried full-page ads talking about the Free Basics program and Chris admits that activity was done to reach more and more people.
We are actively trying to correct inaccuracies we see about the program in press, on twitter and elsewhere. It wasn’t working with all, so we turned to newspapers are likely to reach more people than Twitter or other online platform.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
Free Basics might be limited to Reliance users in India right now but Chris shares his ambition of getting more operators on board for thier mission, who are free to share any kinds of content.
Our partners can choose to market whatever aspects of Free Basics that they want to. We’re happy to partner with any operator for Free Basics.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
Chris signed off the session by saying that other countries have different take on Net Neutrality but if there’s any chance that Free Basics might fall into that zone, it will be looked into it.
We’re willing to have a regulator look at Free Basics if there is real harm happening (i.e. “case-by-case”) to anyone including people, operators and developers, then to me, it is entirely consistent with Net Neutrality as defined by many nations.Chris Daniels, Vice President - Internet.Org, Facebook
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