Wow! This comment is really far away from reality.<p>1&#x2F; There are no studies that show correlation between free basics and increase in internet penetration. In fact, Reliance Telecom, Facebook&#x27;s free basics partner in India, marketed it was a way to surf facebook &amp; whatsapp for free.<p>2&#x2F; Google is giving away free internet in Railway stations in India. Unlike free basics, it gives access to the complete internet and not to a set of websites that have done a deal with facebook. No one opposed it, since it does not break net neutrality.<p>3&#x2F; I find it ridiculous that some folks in Western countries can start dictating what&#x27;s good for the poor in India and think that the arguments of people actually living there are invalid.<p>I would encourage you to try to understand the issue from a local perspective by speaking to the people who live there rather than have unsubstantiated assumptions.