Internet.org and the Fight for Net Neutrality with Jeremy Malcolm

internet.org and EFF

jeremy-malcolm

“We do agree that some internet is better than no internet. But it’s a question as what you define as the internet – and the internet has never been a filtered service like this.”

In this episode, Jeff and Jeremy discuss Internet.org and the criticism it has received from organizations like the EFF. Internet.org is a program created by Facebook whose purpose is to expand the reach of the internet by connecting people in developing nations like India.

However, it has come under fire for its failure to provide “the whole internet” and limiting access to a subset of websites which have to be approved by Facebook. Critics call this a violation of net neutrality and argue that it betrays what the internet stands for – openness and fair access to all destinations. This episodes jumps into the nuances of the debate, with Jeff playing counterpoint to the EFF’s stance – that Internet.org is not the internet.

Jeremy Malcolm is a technologist and lawyer who works for EFF’s international team on issues such as intellectual property, network neutrality, Internet governance, and trade.

Questions

  • What are the concerns around internet.org?
  • What are the issues with not using https to secure websites?
  • Why does internet.org infringe on net neutrality?
  • Has there been a pattern of Facebook being willing to censor their content on the behalf of states or corporations?
  • Why would the outcome of internet.org differ from previous attempts at limited internet like AOL?
  • Is there a big risk of Facebook monopolizing the internet?
  • Has literature like 1984 and Brave New World colored our fears of what can happen with surveillance?

Links

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