Note: Popular Resistance joined with 65 groups in 31 countries to speak out against Mark Zuckerberg’s fake Internet. As you know we were part of a campaign to keep the Internet open to all with equal access to everyone. We do not want to let Facebook and Zuckerberg undermine the free and open Internet with his fake-version of the Internet. As Josh Tabish writes from OpenMedia:
People in countries like India, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and Paraguay are outraged over Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to control what billions of soon-to-be Internet users do online.1,2
The Facebook CEO has hatched a plan with telecom giants around the world called Internet.org, which provides access to a fake Internet that only includes services hand-picked by Zuckerberg and his cronies.3
Billions will soon face Zuck’s fake Internet, which blocks the websites, apps, and services the rest of the world loves from being available on equal terms.4 And if we don’t stop it now, Internet users everywhere could one day be faced with the same thing.
To amplify the concerns of people around the world, today 65 organizations in 31 countries have released an open letter today opposing Zuck’s plan to control what billions do online by prioritizing some services over others on this fake Internet.5
And we need you to do your part. We all deserve access to the real open Internet. Stand with people around the world and demand Zuckerberg stops restricting access to the open Internet NOW.
Zuckerberg is facing a huge PR backlash about Internet.org.6,7 His image is important to him, so the more people speak out, the more pressure he’ll feel to do the right thing.
Global Internet users would much rather Zuck use his influence for good, and promote access to the real open Internet, not just his fake imitation.8And it’s time you stand with them.
As Norman Mukwakwami from Zimbabwe writes:
“There are 60 social media platforms in Africa. I ask: how do we expect them to survive when users are charged more to use their platforms than they are charged to use the global giants of cyberspace?”9
To add insult to injury, there are actually great initatives to connect the unconnected to the joys of the open Internet, but Zuckerberg’s Internet.org has effectively sabotaged some of those efforts.10
Does this sound fair to you? Join NoFakeInternet.org now to ensure Zuck feels the heat. We all deserve access to the full, real open Internet.
Let’s stand together, and make their call louder.
Footnotes
[1] Internet.not. Source: Huffington Post.
[2], [5] 65 groups from 31 countries speak out against Zuckerberg’s fake Internet project Source: OpenMedia.
[3], [4] Facebook’s Internet.org isn’t the Internet. It’s FacebookNet. Source: Wired.
[6] Facebook’s Internet.org sees defections over alleged harm to net neutrality. Source: ArsTechnica.
[7] How Telecoms And The Indian Government Stop Net Neutrality In Its Tracks. Source: TechCrunch.
[8] If the price of giving everyone internet access is total domination by Facebook, it’s not worth it. Source: The Guardian.
[9] Net non-neutrality on demand! Source: ICT Africa.
[10] Internet.org, the Panamanian case. Source: Digital Rights LAC.
65 groups from 31 countries speak out against Zuckerberg’s fake Internet project
Sixty-five organizations from 31 countries and regions around the world released an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg detailing significant concerns about his plan to control what the next 3 billion Internet users do online through Facebook’s controversial Internet.org initiative. You can see our concerns outlined in the full PDF below.
The letter was signed by tons of groups including our friends at Access, Bits of Freedom, EDRi, the Centre for Media Justice, Popular Resistance, and dozens more from around the world. The goal is to amplify the concerns of people in countries like India, Brazil, Zimbabwe, and Paraguay, who are outraged over Zuckerberg’s fake Internet, which blocks the websites, apps, and services the rest of the world loves from being available on equal terms.
To amplify the concerns of people around the world, your OpenMedia team has also launched an exciting new action platform so that Internet users around the world can speak out against Zuckerberg’s Fake Internet service: https://NoFakeInternet.org/
We’ve been hearing a lot of concern from our members and wanted to provide a place for them to speak out and for a hub to find background materials. At the end of the day, we all deserve access to the full, real, open Internet. Not just Zuckerberg’s fake imitation. So let’s stand together and make sure he knows there’s another path to take – Internet users around the world would rather he use his influence for good and promote access to the real open Internet that his poor imitation. And we hope the NoFakeInternet.org campaign can contribute to that end – but it only works if you speak out.
If you haven’t already, please take action at https://NoFakeInternet.org, and check out the open letter below.
