Internet.org: A battle over net neutrality? Or between haves and have-nots?

Network neutrality – the philosophy that Internet service providers should not throttle, block, or discriminate between different websites or online services – was once thought to be too bland an idea for a general audience to grasp. But after several comedians took up the cause, it’s now one of the most hotly debated topics about the Internet and has since become a major PR problem for Facebook.

The social media giant’s Internet.org project offers free Internet access to people in developing countries, but the service is limited to only certain websites, such as Facebook and Wikipedia. While Facebook saw this as a noble way to get more people using its social network, the plan is facing growing criticism in India after a viral video argued for net neutrality and led many to believe the company was threatening the notion of it. Now, India's campaign against Internet.org has spread to other countries, pushing multiple companies to back out of their partnerships with Facebook's free service. For any company looking to survive in the 21st century, they can no longer ignore what the people are asking for. The only way to enter a new market is through education and transparency.