Here's How the Indian Internet Is Fighting Back against Free Basics

The Free Basics debate is going strong in India. With Facebook pushing hard — full-page ads and Mark Zuckerberg's editorials in Indian papers — Internet users are pushing back equally as hard.

Here are some of the ways in which Indians are fighting for their right to a free and fair Internet:

1. Speaking out on Twitter:

2. Parodying Facebook's Free Basics ads:

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3. Sending urgent petitions to the TRAI:

IIT and IISc faculty have already sent a signed petition to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Now the CEOs of nine Indian startups — including Zomato and PayTM — have also sent a petition to the TRAI t prevent indian telecom operators “from acting as gate-keepers offering restricted Internet services instead of the Open Internet.” 

Image for representation only. Source: Flickr

4. Rebutting the Free Basics proposals through blog posts:

You can read Mahesh Murthy's spirited argument against Free Basics here. He has also defended Indians' right to a free a fair Internet on TV news debates.

5. Running Save The Internet ads on TV:

Source: Reddit

PayTM has been running SaveTheInternet advertisements on Tata Sky and Dish TV.

Featured image source: Twitter

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