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'''Free Basics''', originally known as '''Internet.org''', is a global initiative led by Facebook to bring Internet connectivity to "diverse, local communities". <ref>[http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/05/announcing-the-internet-org-platform/ Announcing the Internet.org Platform. Retrieved 12 Nov 2015.]</ref> The project is combined effort between seven major telecommunication companies, including [[Ericsson]], [[Mediatek]], [[Opera]], [[Samsung]], [[facebook]], [[Nokia]], and [[Qualcomm]]. 

The project was renamed Free Basics in September 2015. Free Basics was originally only the name of the app delivering the service.<ref name="indianexpress>"[http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/facebook-opens-up-internet-org-with-new-free-basics-apps/ Facebook renames Internet.org as 'Free Basics', offers open platform for developers], IndianExpress.com. Published 2015 September 27. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref>

The project's goal is that "Free Basics introduces people to the internet and they move on to explore the entire internet."<ref name="blah">[http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/facebook-opens-up-internet-org-with-new-free-basics-apps/ Facebook renames Internet.org as "Free Basics", offers open platform for developers], IndianExpress.com. Published 2015 September 27. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> Speaking on the project, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, has said, "Connectivity can't only be a privilege for some of the rich and powerful; it needs to be something that everyone shares."<ref name="youtube">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIvYUft2wJM Free Basics], YouTube.com. Published 2015 June 22. Retrieved 2016 April 23.</ref>

The non-profit has identified three major areas for exploration including:
* '''Affordability''': Supporters will work together to ensure access to the Internet isn't a barrier.
* '''Efficiency''': Supporters will build and strengthen the infrastructure needed to keep the Internet stable.
* '''Business Models''': Developers, mobile operators and device manufacturers will work together to introduce business models that give people more ways to go online."

==Background==
===First Year of Operation===
Free Basics marked its one-year anniversary in Zambia, where it first began working with the telecommunications company [[Airtel]]. Zuckerberg says this partnership allowed got "hundreds of thousands of people access to some basic services for health, education, jobs, communication".<ref name="youtube"></ref><ref>[http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2015/07/one-year-in-internet-org-free-basic-services/ One Year In], FB.com. Published 2015 July 26. Retrieved 2015 November 13. Updated 2016 April 23.</ref>

At the time, Facebook was working with amore than a dozen mobile operators across 17 countries to give more than a billion people "access to relevant basic internet services without data charges".<ref name="fb"></ref>

==Rebranding from Internet.org to Free Basics==
In 2015 September, Internet.org was renamed "Free Basics by Facebook", to highlight the significance of its overhauls. With the renaming came a revamped website, moved from Internet.org to FreeBasics.com, and featuring options for location targeting. This allowed users in Asia, Africa, and Latin America could choose the serves they wishes to activate and access in their region.<ref name="sigh">[http://www.engadget.com/2015/09/24/free-basics-by-facebook/ http://www.engadget.com/2015/09/24/free-basics-by-facebook/ 'Free Basics by Facebook' replaces Internet.org website and app], Engadget.com. Published 2015 September 24. Retrieved 2016 April 23.</ref> The rebrand also came with a new mobile website that supported HTTPS, like the Android app.<ref name="sigh"></ref>

==Criticisms & Controversies==
Since its launch in 2013, several net neutrality activists have criticized Free Basics for its "zero rating", which is the preferential treatment of certain websites or streaming services, over others. This results in an uneven playing field, and magnifies barriers to access on the Internet. Facebook's initiative does this by providing 'Free Basics', a collection of sites that relay weather, health and local data for users. <ref>[https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=Internet.org+criticism Internet.org Criticism. Retrieved 12 Nov 2015.]</ref>

===India===
When Facebook first began operations in India, only 15% of its population of 1.1 billion people had access to the internet.<ref name="youtube"></ref> While Free Basics' potential in India seemed large, it was from the country in 2016 February, "discriminatory tariffs for data services", aka zero rating".<ref name="india">[http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/08/india-bans-zero-rating-internet-schemes/ India bans Facebook's 'Free Basics' service], EnGadget.com. Published 2016 February 8. Retrieved 2016 April 20.</ref> This came after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) called for Reliance Communications, Facebook's Indian telecom partner, to stop Free Basics in 2015 December. In response, the company reportedly spent millions on advertising and had an op-ed published by CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the Times of India.<ref name="india"></ref>

This main criticism -- that Free Basics had a limited number of partners and only a single service provider -- was one that Facebook contested. According to Chris Daniels, Vice President of Internet.org, "There is no exclusivity with Reliance in India. There are other telecom operators who are interested, but it seems the criticism has slowed down the conversation. Reliance is just our first partner in India and there are countries where we have multiple partners."<ref name="opening">[http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/facebook-opens-up-internet-org-with-new-free-basics-apps/ Facebook renames Internet.org as ‘Free Basics’, offers open platform for developers], IndianExpress.com. Published 2015 September 27. Retrieved 2016 April 23.</ref>

Facebook also notes that all developers are free to add to their apps to the Free Basics platform, as long as they meet technical criteria.<ref name="opening"></ref>

===Egypt===
Following the actions of India, at the end of 2015 December, Egypt also pulled the plug on Facebook, which had been launched two years prior with the local telecommunications company, [[Etisalat Egypt]]. Facebook estimated that this shutdown resulted in the loss of internet for 3 million people in Egypt. Etsilat Egypt and the Egyptian government declined to comment to AP about the shutdown.<ref name="ap">[http://bigstory.ap.org/article/4b0654ec892d429d94261beae145f68c/free-internet-service-over-3-million-egyptians-shut-down Free Internet service for over 3 million Egyptians shut down], AP.org. Published 2015 December 30. Retrieved 2016 April 23.</ref>

==References==