Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw • Hacker News Board

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#181

Post by gshrikant » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 6:54 AM UTC

It is indeed heartwarming to see such mobilization for a just cause like internet neutrality.

One of the biggest hurdles in defending 'intellectual' issues like net neutrality, privacy or academic pay-walling is the general public's apathy towards such perceived niche issues while there are pressing issues to deal with closer to ground - poverty, hunger, vaccination come to mind.

I am reminded of Bill Gates' take on the Internet.org initiative [1] and while I certainly stand with him on that, I feel it is important to recognize what such intellectual issues represent: freedom to information, which is admittedly abstract, but fundamental nonetheless.

[1] http://www.cnet.com/news/bill-gates-prioritizing-internet-ac...

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#182

Post by danraile » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 7:28 AM UTC

manish_gill wrote: post #28

After limited protest/outrage in communities like /r/india, the news finally hit big when a comedy group AIB decided to make a video explaining what Net Neutrality is: https://youtu.be/mfY1NKrzqi0 and then it finally hit mainstream media. Amid pressure from everywhere, Flipkart finally withdrew from the Airtel Zero deal which would have been a blow to Net Neutrality in India. Of course, next step was Internet.org and…

what is the source of that Constine/Zuckerberg exchange?

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#183

Post by peteretep » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 7:56 AM UTC

runn1ng wrote: post #133

lukevdp wrote: post #108

Internet.org is offering a free service to people who would otherwise have no access to the Internet. Net neutrality on a free service in a developing country is an entirely different issue than net neutrality in developed countries with high Internet access rates. I see similarities between this and GMO in developing countries, where rich, well fed people in developed countries oppose gmo in countries that can't fee…

I don't want to argue with you since I don't know much about it, but it seems the backlash came from India itself, not from developed countries.

India has plenty of its own middle-class neck beards who don't see why their cleaners, taxi drivers, and street sweepers need Facebook access.

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#184

Post by minusSeven » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 8:37 AM UTC

Mahn wrote: post #105

manish_gill wrote: post #28

After limited protest/outrage in communities like /r/india, the news finally hit big when a comedy group AIB decided to make a video explaining what Net Neutrality is: https://youtu.be/mfY1NKrzqi0 and then it finally hit mainstream media. Amid pressure from everywhere, Flipkart finally withdrew from the Airtel Zero deal which would have been a blow to Net Neutrality in India. Of course, next step was Internet.org and…

> https://i.imgur.com/PAwf6e3.png "Some connectivity is better than no connectivity, hence the violation of NN is justified" Does he really not see the enormous liability that a precedent like this can create?

actually the problem comes from the profit seeking companies. The original intention was provide help to the poor people who can't afford it. I remember wikipedia and some other non profit companies were initially interested in providing this for free. As far as I know aircel still provides it for free. It not just in India though many countries like Russia Indonesia also offer something. The situation changes when you have profit seeking companies trying utilise the situation. Cleartrip response exposes this perfectly.

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#185

Post by nileshtrivedi » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 9:19 AM UTC

look_lookatme wrote: post #180

nileshtrivedi wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should read Cleartrip's statement when they exited internet.org today. Especially, this bit: "So while our original intent was noble, it is impossible to pretend there is no conflict of interest (both real and perceived) in our decision to be a participant in Internet.org." The protests are not against free data at all. Internet.org could have very well given 100megabytes/month free. They could support it with ad…

I am happy that the service providers in India will continue forth expanding into poor and under-serviced areas without a large subsidy to free them of cost-benefit decisions. I'm sure they will operate in the best interest of the public.

That's what competition does. :)

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#186

Post by alondonstartup » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 10:16 AM UTC

Really happy to see citizens standing up for principles and against corporate interests in the developing world. Great to see these principles in such a large developing country, compare to places like China where the population seems much happier to let "big brother" tell them whats best.

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#187

Post by manish_gill » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 10:25 AM UTC

danraile wrote: post #175

manish_gill wrote: post #28

After limited protest/outrage in communities like /r/india, the news finally hit big when a comedy group AIB decided to make a video explaining what Net Neutrality is: https://youtu.be/mfY1NKrzqi0 and then it finally hit mainstream media. Amid pressure from everywhere, Flipkart finally withdrew from the Airtel Zero deal which would have been a blow to Net Neutrality in India. Of course, next step was Internet.org and…

What is the source of that Constine/Zuckerberg exchange?

The latest Q&A session he did on his page. https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10102028100357421

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#188

Post by sandeeptodi » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 10:29 AM UTC

Everyone is greedy once in a while. So were the Internet hotshots in India but good that sense prevailed finally.

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#189

Post by vasundhar » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 11:16 AM UTC

I think http://savetheinternet.in did really save Internet from the stupid regulators who have absolutely no clue of technological implications of what the Big and dominant ISPs are doing to the freedom and Net Neutrality.

Indian ISPs are too opportunistic to divert the subject from Quality of Service to Issues to making more buck than what they are really worth.

Re: Blow to Internet.org as Indian Internet Companies Begin to Withdraw

#190

Post by minusSeven » Thu, Apr 16, 2015, 11:22 AM UTC

Yuioup wrote: post #124

Can somebody explain what is going on here? I'm having trouble understanding what this story is about.

basically there was plan to give away "free internet" to people. But free here are basically the services of companies that have ulterior motives behind this. Its not really free except calling it that way.