[kictanet] Introducing Facebook Africa Public Policy Team to KICTANet

[Grace Githaiga]

Dear Listers
Greetings. I hope your week has started well.
The topic of Net Neutrality has become an important global Internet Governance issue in the last two years, and has generated some interesting debates. 
In Kenya, Facebook has partnered with Airtel to offer users zero rated services, christened "free basics" which means that several websites have been selected (for lack of a proper word)  to participate in the platform, where users access these websites for free. However, the same users cannot access any other website unless they pay for the data.

Different positions depending on where their proponents stand have been shared.  Please find one here by Nanjira Sambuli http://www.nation.co.ke/oped/blogs/free-internet-freedom-create/-/620/2975634/-/f6hgvx/-/index.html and another by our own Mwendwa Kivuva http://www.circleid.com/posts/20151124_zero_rating_a_poisoned_chalice_for_the_developing_world/

Those for pro zero rated services have argued that it gives more users free access to the Internet, and that it is a genuine attempt to connect the unconnected. Those on the opposite side argue that zero rating stifles innovation, leads to customers lock-in, is anti competitive behavior, confuses the users on the true meaning of the Internet, denies users choice, and makes policy makers lazy in ensuring proper affordable internet is availed to the masses.

Facebook's Head of Public Policy, Africa Ebele Okobi, and the Public Policy Manager, Africa Akua Gwekye have graciously agreed to respond to any queries the community has on zero rated services. 

The Process
Please articulate your concerns and ask questions as we usually do when we have moderated debates. The facebook team will then look at the questions and respond to you on Wednesday Evening. Depending on how it goes, we can then see how to continue engaging with them. 
I think this is a great opportunity for the facebook team to unpackage free basics issue, and it is my hope that the debate will be exciting given the prominence members of the list have given the net neutrality debate. 
Over to you listers! And a very warm welcome to Ebele and Akua. 
WarmlyGrace 		 	   		  
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20151130/7f77f320/attachment.htm>