Even World Bank is worried about Facebook's Free Basics

The World Bank has spoken up about companies including Facebook who provide restricted access to the Internet.

"Care should be taken to ensure that users have the greatest possible access to internet-based content, applications and services of their choice," World Bank said.

"But traffic management measures, while legitimate, should not reduce the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of expression," the report said.

The 350 page report called 'World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends’ touches upon the need to build out and continuously improve networks and network capacity.

"The recent trend to develop services in which some basic content can be accessed free of data charges (such as Facebook's Free Basics or Internet.org), while other content is subject to data charges, would appear to be the antithesis of net neutrality and a distortion of markets," it said.

"Nevertheless, some defend the practice as a means of extending internet use in low-income countries. In India, following protests, some participating organisations withdrew support to Airtel Zero and Internet.org, as the regulator indicated that these platforms do not provide equal treatment to all online services," the report said.

An open and free internet is a key contributing factor to innovation in the digital economy, making it critical to protect this openness, it added.

Image credit: Indiatimes