Facebook may bring zero-rated “Free Basics” app to smartphones in US

ARS Technica: Facebook is considering whether to launch a mobile application in the United States that would provide free access to a selection of websites, according to a Washington Post report today.

Facebook has been talking to White House officials about how to roll out the Free Basics program in the US without inviting regulatory scrutiny, the article said, attributing the information to anonymous sources. The Free Basics application provides access to a variety of websites—including Facebook and Facebook Messenger—without counting against customers' data caps, so Facebook would also need cooperation from US mobile operators.

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