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AIB & Other Comedy Group Challenge Facebook’s Violation Of Net Neutrality
India's comedy troupes — like All India Bakchod (AIB), East India Comedy (EIC), and SnG Comedy — have all posted videos to protest Facebook's Free Basics campaign, which violates net neutrality principles.
AIB's video is the third in their "Save The Internet" series, which they released in the summer to explain the issues around net neutrality. Facebook launched iInternet.org in November for anyone who's a Reliance customer to get access to certain websites such as news sites, weather, health, and government sites — all without charge.
“We just took another step towards connecting India,” Zuckerberg said in a post on his Facebook profile page. “As of today, everyone in India nationwide can access free internet services for health, education, jobs and communication through Internet.org‘s Free Basics app on the Reliance network.”
AIB points out that another rebranding of Internet.org as Free Basics doesn't change the fact that the program violates the main principle of net neutrality. People should be able to access any website without either charges or incentives from the companies that connect them to the Internet.
AIB mocks the service's social media campaign and the fact that it's just adding to the innumerable notifications you get.
Free Basics was stopped in India after a TRAI order, but some experts have questioned whether that has anything to do with their violation of net neutrality. Despite the halt, Facebook has committed to a full-scale campaign to generate support for its zero-rating app.
The company has put out ads in newspapers, on billboards and on metros, and the program also has a huge presence on social media.
Photo Credit: EIC
Other comedy groups like EIC made their pleas in under 60 seconds using their humour. SnG Comedy made a funny analogy of the issue by presenting it as if Free Basics were parents who let you study for free but won't let you study what you want!
Photo Credit: SnG Comedy
All three comedy groups have links to Savetheinternet.in, where users and subscribers can send a pre-written letter to the TRAI to try to save the Internet. But the deadline is tight. December 30th is the last day to get signatures from a public that's eager not to be taken for a ride with the Internet.
Data fees are very high for most users, and paying different charges for all the sites they use is completely unfair. Passing off Free Basics as a service that alleviates that concern is just false.
A Reliance Communications spokesman told the BBC that it would comply with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's demand.
With a short deadline, there's a lot of social media campaigning for users to go to the website and let their voices be heard about Internet connection — a critical service that the whole world deserves to have without caving to big corporations.
Main Image Photo Credit: www.yourstory.com
Rumnique Nannar
Author
Rumnique Nannar is a new journalist with a passion for all things pop culture, film, and art. Rumnique was born in London, with a predilection for devouring English chocolate with her Vogue, ANOKHI, and Glamour magazines in tow. She is currently in her Journalism Masters at UBC. Connect ...
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