Internet.org is Behind the Tricolor Flag Profile Picture | Digital India is Disguised; Beware

The fight between #NetNeutrality and #InternetBasics by Internet.org has turned a foul turn this time. The internet.org had got a lot of negative push from the net neutrality supporters, so they renamed it as ‘Free Basic Internet’ and promoted it on Facebook walls compelling the users to click ‘Yes, I’m in’ button. The absence of ‘close’ or ‘not interested’ button lit a spark in the majority of the users and it went down after campaigning for a few days.

The prime minister of India (2015), Narendra Modi has started a great initiative to make India a true digital hub to the world. As a part of the mission, he met the CEOs of the top tech companies that includes the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg.

Mark Zuckerberg has changed his profile picture with overlaying tricolor Indian flag as showing support for Digital India campaign. This made Indians proud of being the citizens of the country like occasionally before. So, people started changing their profile pictures using the suggested link that indirectly votes support for internet.org which is against net neutrality

What’s wrong?

There are supporters for both the causes. Both have their own positives and negatives as well. An idea won’t be promoted with no benefits at all but, the problem is that it should fit the luxury of freedom of usage of the people it is meant for.

Any campaign should not be elevated or taken down if it gets negative feedback. As it is not meant to be another business venture, it should not be insisted upon the people or evil extort the votes from them. Whatever the support anticipated, that should be taken with the honest approval of the users/participants it is meant for.

See how internet.org painting Digital India face from this following screenshot,

It is as same as manipulating the EVMs during elections to tunnel votes only for a single nominee. How worst it is if you vote for candidate ‘A’ and it counts into his opponent, candidate ‘B’ in the background? The same is happening with Digital India campaign-tri-coloring profile picture on Facebook.

How to avoid it?

Easy. You will find a pinned notification on your news feed asking you to support for Digital India with two familiar buttons, ‘I’m in’ and ‘Not now’. Just close the notification by clicking on the ‘x’ mark on the top-right corner.

How not to support internet.org blindly and support Digital India consciously?

Do not wear tricolor flag just as the one Mark Zuckerberg and some of your friends are wearing. If you truly want to show your support, go conventional. Hashtag #ISupportDigitalIndia on social media and it is the best way to show your support to this futuristic initiative.

The sad part of the story is, Narendra Modi, the honorable Prime Minister of India too have changed his profile picture to tricolor overlay as soon as Mark did. Does this mean anything? What do you think? Is it the end of #NetNeutrality?