[kictanet] Introducing Facebook Africa Public Policy Team to KICTANet

Tue Dec 1 16:39:44 EAT 2015

Thank you Ebele and Akua for availing yourselves. Welcome to KICTANet.
For me I would like to understand what Free basics by Facebook is all
about. For example, what is the idea behind it- to introduce people to the
Internet? to provide certain Internet services eg information for rural
communities? Is it philanthropy by Facebook or a business model for a
certain audience?
It would also be good to hear about Free Basics vis a vis net neutrality.
In the sense of the transition from Free basics to full Internet.
Once again welcome to KICTANet.
Regards,

2015-12-01 7:02 GMT+03:00 Ali Hussein via kictanet <
kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>:

> Grace
>
> This is a great initiative and I applaud the Facebook team for making
> themselves available for this discussion.
>
> 1.Firstly my concerns about zero rating certain sites. Foremost of which
> is obviously Facebook. I'm really curious to understand the process that FB
> uses to choose these websites. Shouldn't the community that is being
> exposed to this 'closed garden' be given a say on which websites they would
> like to access in this 'free program'?
>
> 2. In which countries and regions is Free Basics operational? Do the
> regulatory environments of the US, Canada, India and EU allow FB to
> operationalize Free Basics because I'm certain that Internet Penetration
> levels have not hit 100% in those regions.
>
> 3. What are your comments on the recent re-jigging of Internet.org after a
> spate of bad press especially in India? Internet access is critical for
> development but we need to be sure that it's not skewed against our own
> burgeoning Internet Economy.
>
> 4. How can FB improve its image beyond that of seeking eyeballs for its
> core business - Advertising?
>
> Ali Hussein
> Tel: +254 713 601113
> On Dec 1, 2015 12:07 AM, "Grace Githaiga via kictanet" <
> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>
>>
>> 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. *
>>
>>
>> Warmly
>>
>> Grace
>>
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>>
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>
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>
> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
>

-- 
Grace L.N. Mutung'u
Nairobi Kenya
Skype: gracebomu
Twitter: @Bomu

<http://www.diplointernetgovernance.org/profile/GraceMutungu>
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