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Facebook Zero

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 5 min
Short description: Initiative by Facebook
Facebook Zero
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OwnerMeta Platforms, Inc.
Created byMark Zuckerberg
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Facebook Zero is an initiative undertaken by social networking service company Facebook in collaboration with mobile phone-based Internet providers, whereby the providers waive data (bandwidth) charges (also known as zero-rate) for accessing Facebook on phones via a stripped-down text-only version of its mobile website (as opposed to the ordinary mobile website m.facebook.com that also loads pictures). The stripped-down version is available online only through providers who have entered the agreement with Facebook.[4][5][6][7] Photos are not loaded by default. Users may still choose to view them by clicking through but regular data charges apply to photo use.

History

Plans for Facebook Zero were first announced at the Mobile World Congress in February 2010 by Chamath Palihapitiya.[8] In collaboration with 50 mobile operators around the world, it was officially of launched on May 18, 2010.[4] The scheme is considered zero-rated or the practice of offering free data for some services, filtering out others.[9]

The Facebook model featured a stripped-down version of the platform, which was made available to all mobile phone owners.[10] It was offered in emerging markets to address the issue of data caps. A report explained that Facebook Zero subsidized phone data for a period, allowing for free user access.[10] Facebook also provide technical assistance to partner carriers so that the process incurs low cost.[11] In some countries, Facebook Zero is offered as part of a carrier's Free Basic data plan that could include access to Google and Wikipedia as well as localized content.[12]

Facebook Zero became controversial in some countries due to several issues such as net neutrality.[9] For instance, India's Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) bans zero-rated services on account of "discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content”.[13] A criticism also stated that Facebook is practicing digital colonialism because it is not introducing open internet but building a "little web that turns the user into a mostly passive consumer of mostly western corporate content”.[11]

Several carriers offer Facebook Zero:[4]

  •  Jordan: Zain Jordan
  •  Albania: Telekom Albania; Vodafone Albania
  •  Algeria: Djezzy;[14] Mobilis
  •  Angola: Unitel S.A.
  •  Bosnia and Herzegovina: ERONET
  •  Bangladesh: Grameenphone
  •  Benin: MTN Group
  •  Cameroon: MTN Group
  •  Canada: Freedom Mobile
  •  Croatia: Bonbon;[15] Hrvatski Telekom;[16] MultiPlus Mobile;[17] Simpa;[18] Tomato;[19] Vipnet
  •  El Salvador: Movistar
  •  Fiji: Digicel
  •  France: SFR
  •  Germany: E-Plus[20] Ortel
  •  Greece: WIND Hellas[21]
  •  Georgia: MagtiCom
  •  Guinea: MTN Group
  •  Indonesia: XL Axiata
  •  Kenya: Airtel Kenya
  •  Kosovo: iPKO
  •  Malaysia: DiGi
  •  Morocco: Maroc Telecom
  •    Nepal: Ncell[22]
  •  Pakistan: Telenor Pakistan; Jazz Pakistan, Zong Pakistan[23][24][25][26]
  •  Palestine: Jawwal[27]
  •  Panama: Cable & Wireless Communications
  •  Philippines: Globe Telecom, Smart,[28]
  •  Poland: Play[29]
  •  Qatar: Vodafone Qatar
  •  Saudi Arabia: Saudi Telecom Company[30]
  •  South Africa: CellC (Discontinued the service), Vodacom, MTN Group
  •  Suriname: Digicel
  •  Trinidad and Tobago: Digicel
  •  Turkey: Turkcell
  •  United Arab Emirates: Du[31]
  •  United Kingdom: Three
  •  Zimbabwe: Telecel Zimbabwe
  •  Zambia: Airtel Zambia

Reception and impact

An article by Christopher Mims in Quartz in September 2012 stated that Facebook Zero played a very important role in Facebook's expansion in Africa over the 18 months following the release of Facebook Zero, noting that data charges could be a significant component of mobile usage cost and the waiving of these charges reduced a significant disincentive for people in Africa to use Facebook.[32]

Facebook Zero was also credited as the inspiration for a similar initiative undertaken by Wikipedia titled Wikipedia Zero.[33][34][35]

Google Free Zone, a similar service launched by Google in November 2012, was viewed by Internet commentators as both inspired by and a potential challenge to Facebook Zero.[36][37][38][39]

The Subsecretaría de Telecomunicaciones of Chile ruled that zero-rating services like Wikipedia Zero, Facebook Zero, and Google Free Zone, that subsidize mobile data usage, violate net neutrality laws and had to end the practise by June 1, 2014.[40][41]

In 2015, researchers evaluating how Facebook Zero shapes information and communication technology use in the developing world found that 11% of Indonesians who said they used Facebook also said they did not use the Internet. 65% of Nigerians, 61% of Indonesians, and 58% of Indians agree with the statement that "Facebook is the Internet".[42]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Facebook Launches Zero, A Text-Only Mobile Site For Carriers". https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/16/facebook-launches-zero-a-text-only-mobile-site-for-carriers/. 
  2. ↑ "Facebook Referrals in Google Analytics". https://www.lovesdata.com/blog/facebook-referrals-in-google-analytics. 
  3. ↑ Airtel Introduces free Facebook
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Murlidhar, Sid (May 18, 2010). "Fast and Free Facebook Mobile Access with 0.facebook.com". Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook/fast-and-free-facebook-mobile-access-with-0facebookcom/391295167130. 
  5. ↑ "Facebook". MTN. http://www.mtn.co.ug/MTN-Services/Communication/Facebook.aspx. 
  6. ↑ "Facebook Zero - free on 2degrees!". 2degrees. http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/facebookzero. 
  7. ↑ "Facebook Zero!". GrameenPhone. http://www.grameenphone.com/whats-new/facebook-zero. 
  8. ↑ Wauters, Robin (February 16, 2010). "Facebook Launches Zero, A Text-Only Mobile Site For Carriers". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2010/02/16/facebook-launches-zero-a-text-only-mobile-site-for-carriers/. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Meyer, David. "Net neutrality: Key zero rating decision made by Germany" (in en). https://www.zdnet.com/article/net-neutrality-key-zero-rating-decision-made-by-germany/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bergen, Mark (2014-07-07). "The Secret Sauce For Twitter's Global Growth Strategy: Subsidized Data" (in en). https://adage.com/article/digital/twitter-facebook-rate-telecom-deals-abroad/293741. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Solon, Olivia (2017-07-27). "'It's digital colonialism': how Facebook's free internet service has failed its users" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/27/facebook-free-basics-developing-markets. 
  12. ↑ Kebe, Cheikh M. F.; Gueye, Assane; Ndiaye, Ababacar; Garba, Aminata (2018). Innovations and Interdisciplinary Solutions for Underserved Areas: Second International Conference, InterSol 2018, Kigali, Rwanda, March 24–25, 2018, Proceedings. Cham: Springer. pp. 64. ISBN 9783319988771. 
  13. ↑ "TRAI Favors Net Neutrality, Suggests Guidelines In Favor Of It" (in en-US). 2017-11-28. https://thelogicalindian.com/news/trai-net-neutrality/. 
  14. ↑ "Services : Réseaux sociaux" (in fr). http://www.djezzy.dz/particuliers/services/reseaux-sociaux/. 
  15. ↑ "Problemi sa 0.facebook.com". March 26, 2014. http://www.bonbon.hr/podrska/pitanja-i-odgovori/na-bonove/ostalo-moj-bonbon-registracija-trikovi-i-savjeti/problemi-sa-0-facebook-com. 
  16. ↑ "Facebook Zero". http://faq.hrvatskitelekom.hr/pages/category.xhtml?question=518. 
  17. ↑ "Facebook zero". http://www.multiplusmobile.hr/tarifa/facebook-zero.html. 
  18. ↑ "Besplatni Facebook". https://www.simpa.hr/usluge/besplatni-facebook. 
  19. ↑ "Uvjeti korištenja besplatnog Facebooka Zero za Tomato korisnike bonova". 2013. http://www.tomato.com.hr/uvjeti-koristenja/-/journal_content/56_INSTANCE_A3LlNTBlPxJF/10501/122643. 
  20. ↑ "E-Plus Gruppe: Kostenloser Zugang zu Facebook". http://eplus-gruppe.de/kostenloser-zugang-zu-facebook-zero/. 
  21. ↑ "WIND Hellas 0.Facebook". http://www.wind.gr/en/for-individual/mobile/wind-services/facebook/0facebookcom/. 
  22. ↑ "Ncell launches 'Facebook Free' offer under its 'Internet for All' theme". Ncell. https://www.ncell.axiata.com/NewsDetails?ISzt553DtEWbdEa04nemdrb+bxsdLJF9WuRMtpJkRrA=. 
  23. ↑ "Facebook provides free internet access to Pakistani citizens". DAWN. http://www.dawn.com/news/1184763. 
  24. ↑ "Use Facebook on Phones for Free With Mobilink Jazz, Jazba". 22 June 2012. https://propakistani.pk/2012/06/22/access-facebook-for-free-with-mobilink-jazz/. 
  25. ↑ "Facebook Freebasics". https://www.zong.com.pk/value-added-services/mobile-internet/internet-packages/facebook-freebasics. 
  26. ↑ "Zong brings free internet in partnership with Facebook". THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/83666-Zong-brings-free-internet-in-partnership-with-Facebook. 
  27. ↑ "أهلاً بكم في شركة الاتصالات الخلوية الفلسطينية - جوال - افراد - ما هي خدمة زيرو فيس بوك ؟". أهلاً بكم في شركة الاتصالات الخلوية الفلسطينية - جوال. https://www.jawwal.ps/index.php?page=section&pid=1403&section_parent=23&catid=1&langid=1&f=1&details=1. 
  28. ↑ Consulji, Bianca (November 1, 2013). "Facebook Rolls Out Zero Data Charge Access in the Philippines". Mashable. http://mashable.com/2013/11/01/facebook-philippines/. 
  29. ↑ "Facebook za ZERO bez reklam". http://www.blogplay.pl/2010/11/facebook-za-zero-bez-reklam/. 
  30. ↑ https://m.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=428979882280 [user-generated source]
  31. ↑ "du Launches 0.facebook.com". May 25, 2010. https://www.du.ae/about/media-centre/newsdetail/du-Launches-0-facebook-com. 
  32. ↑ Mims, Christopher (September 24, 2012). "Facebook's plan to find its next billion users: convince them the internet and Facebook are the same". Quartz. http://qz.com/5180/facebooks-plan-to-find-its-next-billion-users-convince-them-the-internet-and-facebook-are-the-same/. 
  33. ↑ "Mobile partnerships". Wikimedia Foundation. https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Mobile_partnerships. 
  34. ↑ Brian, Matt (May 27, 2012). "Wikipedia Zero expands into Asia, drops mobile data charges for 10m subscribers in Malaysia". The Next Web. https://thenextweb.com/asia/2012/05/27/wikipedia-zero-expands-into-asia-drops-mobile-data-charges-for-10m-subscribers-in-malaysia/. 
  35. ↑ Dillon, Conon (December 18, 2013). "Wikipedia Zero: free data if you can afford it". http://www.dw.de/wikipedia-zero-free-data-if-you-can-afford-it/a-17304321. 
  36. ↑ "Google Free Zone". Google Operating System blog (not affiliated with Google). October 25, 2012. http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2012/10/google-free-zone.html. 
  37. ↑ Knowles, Jamillah (November 8, 2012). "The Philippines gets Facebook Zero-style free mobile access to Google services via Globe Telecom". TNW | Mobile. https://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/11/08/google-and-globe-telecom-launch-freezone-for-mobile-access-to-web-and-select-google-sites/. 
  38. ↑ Jana (December 3, 2012). "Google Free Zone: Google's Challenge to Facebook Zero". http://www.jana.com/blog/google-free-zone-googles-challenge-to-facebook-zero/. 
  39. ↑ Deibert, April (February 19, 2013). "Google 'Free Zone' and Facebook 'Zero': Products Targeting Developing Populations". Innovation Series. http://www.innovation-series.com/2013/02/19/google-free-zone-and-facebook-zero-products-targeting-developing-populations/. 
  40. ↑ Mirani, Leo (May 30, 2014). "Less than zero – When net neutrality backfires: Chile just killed free access to Wikipedia and Facebook". Quartz. http://qz.com/215064/when-net-neutrality-backfires-chile-just-killed-free-access-to-wikipedia-and-facebook/. 
  41. ↑ McKenzie, Jessica (June 2, 2014). "Face Off in Chile: Net Neutrality v. Human Right to Facebook & Wikipedia". http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/25090/face-chile-net-neutrality-v-human-right-facebook-wikipedia. 
  42. ↑ Leo Mirani (9 Feb 2015). "Millions of Facebook users have no idea they're using the internet". http://qz.com/333313/milliions-of-facebook-users-have-no-idea-theyre-using-the-internet/. 

External links




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