Meta (the new name of Facebook company) a few years ago introduced 'free internet service' for the use of its social media network in different countries of the world including Pakistan.
But now it has been revealed that this service is not free at all but forces users to pay unnecessary fees.
This was revealed in a report in the Wall Street Journal, according to which users pay millions of dollars a month as a result of software flaws.
The report states that videos such as paid features should not appear in the free service or warn users of data charges, but this is not the case.
When a user clicks on a video content, the telecom service has to pay the charges.
This flaw in Facebook's free internet is very appealing to telecom services that are estimated to be earning 7.8 million (over Rs 1.37 billion) in the summer of 2021 from such users.
According to the report, this problem is more serious in Pakistan where consumers were charged 1.9 million per month (over Rs. 335.3 million).
A Meta spokesman said the company had received reports of the problem and was working to eliminate software bugs.
The new versions of Free Mode will explicitly mention text only so that users know that clicking on videos or photos is not free.
Like Google, Meta is keenly interested in free internet access as developing countries will continue to play a role in its development in the years to come where many people are still not online.
By the way, the free service does not limit the users only to Facebook or its services but there is a strong possibility that newcomers to the internet will further develop the meta by creating their own account.
