Facebook brings 8m online amid freedom debate

Facebook has opened up its Internet.org platform to new websites and applications from developers yesterday, a move the social media giant said would boost efforts to get people online in low- income and rural areas in emerging markets.

However, the decision drew criticism from some online activists in India, who expressed concern over Facebook’s control over all data accessed on the service and said it violated the principles of an open web.

Internet.org offers free access via mobile phones to pared-down web services, focused on job listings, agricultural information, healthcare, and education, as well as Facebook’s own social network and messaging services. It has been launched in nine countries in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, including India, bringing more than 8m people online, said Chris Daniels, vice president of product for Internet.org, who was in New Delhi to speak with partners and operators.