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Initiative by Facebook From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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Owner | Meta Platforms, Inc. |
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Created by | Mark Zuckerberg |
URL | |
Advertising | Yes |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | Required |
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]
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]
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