New Delhi: The free internet service called Free Basics by Meta (formerly Facebook) is charging users due to glitches, in developing countries such as Pakistan, the Philippines and Indonesia where the service is offered, the media has reported. The social networking giant collaborates with mobile network providers in developing countries, in a bid to give users free access to Facebook and a few other websites. However, the Free Basics service, offered via Meta Connectivity, which is supposed to provide users with "access to communication tools, health information, low bandwidth services and educational resources, has lead to unexpected data costs.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the social media giant says it’s helping millions of the world’s poorest people get online through apps and services that allow them to use internet data free. Internal company documents show that many of these people end up being charged in amounts that collectively add up to an estimated millions of dollars a month.
The "glitch" has been lucrative for mobile carriers. According to Meta's guess, the mobile network operators were charging free users about $7.8 million per month as of last summer and the concern was serious in Pakistan, where users have reportedly been charged a total $1.9 million per month, reports added.
However, according to a Meta Connectivity page, the Free Basics service is clearly an access to free basic internet without having to pay for the sata charges."In collaboration with mobile operators, Free Basics provides access to communication tools, health information, education resources and other low-bandwidth services. Any mobile operator can participate, and Free Basics is open to any developer whose service meets the program's openly published technical criteria," Meta Connectivity has written on its page.
Meta is not the only tech giant that a strong interest in pushing free internet access. Search engine behemoth Google also does this. A large part of Meta's growth in recent times developing countries where many people are hopping online for the first time. Pushing free internet also multiplies the chances of newcomers signing up for Facebook and contribute to Meta's growth.