Which of the following neighbouring countries of India has banned free internet for social media in July, 2020 ?
- (a)Nepal
- (b)Bhutan
- (c)Myanmar
- (d)Bangladesh
Correct — D, Bangladesh. In July 2020 Bangladesh's telecom regulator, the BTRC (Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission), directed mobile operators and ISPs to stop offering 'free internet' for social media — i.e. it prohibited the zero-rating of social-media platforms. The stated reasons were to end 'unhealthy' market competition and curb misuse; the move ended Facebook's 'Free Basics' service in Bangladesh, where operators had been giving free/partly-free access to social media.
- (a)Nepal — Nepal did not impose such a ban on free social-media internet in July 2020; it is not the answer.
- (b)Bhutan — Bhutan took no comparable measure banning free internet for social media in July 2020.
- (c)Myanmar — Myanmar had internet restrictions in this period (notably mobile-data shutdowns in conflict areas such as Rakhine and Chin states), but that is a different issue from banning free/zero-rated social-media packages — the July 2020 measure in question was Bangladesh's.
'Zero-rating' or 'free basics' lets a telecom operator provide certain apps or websites (often social media) without charging for the data used. Critics argue it distorts competition and violates net neutrality by privileging some services; Bangladesh's regulator used this reasoning when it barred operators from offering free social-media access in July 2020.
The question is a current-affairs 'which neighbour' recall. The key is to separate Bangladesh's July-2020 ban on free/zero-rated social media from other regional internet stories (e.g. Myanmar's shutdowns). Anchor the measure to Bangladesh, the BTRC, and the end of Facebook Free Basics there.
- Bangladesh's BTRC (regulator) barred 'free internet' / zero-rated access for social media in July 2020
- Operators (Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Teletalk) were told to stop free social-media packages
- Stated aim: curb 'unhealthy competition' and misuse of free access
- Effect: ended Facebook's 'Free Basics' zero-rated service in Bangladesh
- Confusing 'banning free internet for social media' (zero-rating) with a total internet shutdown (e.g. Myanmar)
- Assuming India's neighbour here is Nepal or Bhutan — the July 2020 measure was Bangladesh's
Current-affairs 'which neighbouring country' items — link the specific policy (ban on free/zero-rated social media, July 2020) to the country (Bangladesh) and its regulator (BTRC).
No directly related past PYQ was found.
- practice — not a real PYQ
The term 'zero-rating' in internet policy refers to:
- (a)Providing certain apps/websites free of data charges
- (b)Rating websites for objectionable content
- (c)A tax rebate on broadband bills
- (d)Blocking websites entirely
Answer(a) Providing certain apps/websites free of data charges — the practice Bangladesh barred for social media in 2020.
- practice — not a real PYQ
India's telecom regulator that in 2016 effectively barred Facebook's 'Free Basics' by prohibiting discriminatory data pricing is:
- (a)SEBI
- (b)TRAI
- (c)RBI
- (d)MeitY
Answer(b) TRAI — its 2016 regulation on differential pricing ended Free Basics in India.