4 ms·

>"Their monopoly over internet infrastructure in some developing countries" In which developing countries does Facebook have a "monopoly" over internet infrast

>"Their monopoly over internet infrastructure in some developing countries" In which developing countries does Facebook have a "monopoly" over internet infrastructure?

freyir 9y ago
Facebook has been actively targeting developing countries that lack Internet infrastructure. They offer a walled garden consisting of Facebook and a few other sites for free. They initially called it Internet.org, but it’s since been renamed Free Basics. I guess the concern is that people will confuse Facebook for the Internet, and they’ll think they’re getting the Internet for free. It then becomes very difficult for a real ISP offering full Internet access to enter the market.
- juststeve 9y ago
  you got a link?
  - freyir 9y ago
    https://info.internet.org/en/story/free-basics-from-internet-org/ https://info.internet.org/en/story/free-basics-from-internet... I don’t know if they have “monopolies”, as OP claimed, but these are the countries where they operate: https://info.internet.org/en/story/where-weve-launched/ https://info.internet.org/en/story/where-weve-launched/
    - juststeve 9y ago
      ok thanks yeah i get the vibe
sydli 9y ago
This is the model for internet/Facebook access in several sub-saharan African countries and others: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Basics#Participants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Basics#Participants They've partnered up with large telecom operators in these regions to offer zero-rated Facebook access. The Guardian has a couple of decent writeups about it too: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/facebook-free-basics-internet-africa-mark-zuckerberg https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/facebook-free-... https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-free-basics-developing-markets https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-...

>"Their monopoly over internet infrastructure in some developing countries" In which developing countries does Facebook have a "monopoly" over internet infrastructure?

freyir 9y ago

Facebook has been actively targeting developing countries that lack Internet infrastructure. They offer a walled garden consisting of Facebook and a few other sites for free. They initially called it Internet.org, but it’s since been renamed Free Basics. I guess the concern is that people will confuse Facebook for the Internet, and they’ll think they’re getting the Internet for free. It then becomes very difficult for a real ISP offering full Internet access to enter the market.

juststeve 9y ago
you got a link?
- freyir 9y ago
  https://info.internet.org/en/story/free-basics-from-internet-org/ https://info.internet.org/en/story/free-basics-from-internet... I don’t know if they have “monopolies”, as OP claimed, but these are the countries where they operate: https://info.internet.org/en/story/where-weve-launched/ https://info.internet.org/en/story/where-weve-launched/
  - juststeve 9y ago
    ok thanks yeah i get the vibe

sydli 9y ago

This is the model for internet/Facebook access in several sub-saharan African countries and others: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Basics#Participants https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Basics#Participants They've partnered up with large telecom operators in these regions to offer zero-rated Facebook access. The Guardian has a couple of decent writeups about it too: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/facebook-free-basics-internet-africa-mark-zuckerberg https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/01/facebook-free-... https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-free-basics-developing-markets https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-...