[governance] Digital Inclusion: You're Doint it Wrong, Google

[Ivar A. M. Hartmann]

"Google product manager AbdelKarim Mardini said that the service is
designed to take aim 'at the next billion users on the Internet' (...)"

I sure hope the next billion users enjoy the actual internet and not
Google's private walled garden in the Philippines.
If anything, Google Free Zone is a disservice to digital inclusion. It's
surprising that Google would stamp on net neutrality after its proposal
with Verizon<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/08/google-verizon-netneutrality>
.

Best,
Ivar

Google Free Zone aims at connecting developing countries

The service lets users search on Google, access Gmail, and use Google+ on
their mobile devices without paying for data.
 [image: Don Reisinger] <http://www.cnet.com/profile/dd13reis/>
 by Don Reisinger <http://www.cnet.com/profile/dd13reis/>
 November 8, 2012 6:16 AM PST
  [image: FreeZone is launching in the Philippines today.]

FreeZone is launching in the Philippines today.
 (Credit: Google)

Google has launched a new service designed to get users in developing
countries to access its core offerings.

Dubbed Free Zone<http://www.google.com.ph/intl/en/mobile/landing/freezone/stp.html>,
the service is launching first in the Philippines starting today. Users in
that country will be able to access Google Search, Gmail, and Google+ from
their mobile devices without incurring any data charges.

In an interview<http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/08/us-google-philippines-idUSBRE8A70IR20121108>with
Reuters published today, Google product manager AbdelKarim Mardini
said that the service is designed to take aim "at the next billion users on
the Internet, many of whom will be in emerging markets and encounter the
Internet first on a mobile phone without ever owning a PC." If successful,
Free Zone could be rolled out to other emerging markets.
 Related stories

   - Google's scary Bram Stoker
doodle<http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57546794-71/googles-scary-bram-stoker-doodle/>
   - Google's U.K. search share dips below 90
percent<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57546184-93/googles-u.k-search-share-dips-below-90-percent/>
   - As Nexus 10 hits the marketplace, new life is seen for Android tablet
   apps<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57546033-94/as-nexus-10-hits-the-marketplace-new-life-is-seen-for-android-tablet-apps/>
   - Mozilla gets lucky, settles IRS audit for
$1.5M<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57546129-93/mozilla-gets-lucky-settles-irs-audit-for-$1.5m/>
   - Google rolls out new search page look, moves navi
bar<http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57545924-93/google-rolls-out-new-search-page-look-moves-navi-bar/>

 However, there is a catch. While folks will be able to send and receive
e-mails on Gmail and check out what friends are sharing on Google+, they
can't go any further than Google's search results page before being told
they need to pay their carrier for access to data.

Free Zone is available on just about any Internet-enabled mobile phone in
the Philippines. According to Google, it's optimized to work on feature
phones, but can also work on smartphones.

Google's move underscores the growing importance of emerging markets.
Several countries around the world are starting to improve their technology
infrastructure, giving companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and others,
the opportunity to capitalize. In addition, as China's middle class
continues to grow, nearly all tech companies will try to pounce.



http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57546899-93/google-free-zone-aims-at-connecting-developing-countries/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title
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