Net neutrality, internet.org can co-exist: Zuckerberg

New York: Amid a raging debate on ensuring equal Internet access for all, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday rejected criticism that his internet.org programme, which has RCom as a partner in India, was against the concept of net neutrality.

Internet.org is a Facebook-led initiative which states that it aims to bring 5 billion people online in partnership with tech giants like Samsung and Qualcomm.

Facebook's partnership with Reliance Communications to provide free Internet access to 33 websites as part of its Internet.org initiative has raised quite a few eyebrows with free Internet activists saying that it violates the idea of net neutrality.

The debate in India has also been triggered by mobile operator Airtel introducing an open marketing platform 'Airtel Zero', and TRAI's consultation paper on whether telecom firms can be allowed to charge different rates for different uses of Internet data like email, Internet browsing and use of apps like WhatsApp, Viber and Sky.

Zuckerberg, who has achieved a cult status after founding the world's largest free social networking platform, defended his initiative in a discussion. He said: "For people who are not on the Internet though, having some connectivity and some ability to share is always much better than having no ability to connect and share at all. That's why programmes like Internet.org are important and can co-exist with net neutrality regulations."

Net neutrality implies equal treatment be accorded to all Internet traffic and no priority be given to an entity or a company based on payment to service providers like the telecom companies, which is seen as discriminatory.