Mark Zuckerberg has come in for a lot of heat in the last week for his Free Basics a project announced last year to provide free internet access to developing nations.

In a Times of India op-ed piece Zuckerberg explained this initiative using the example of “a farmer named Ganesh, who would be able to find weather information and prepare for monsoons, look up commodity prices to get better deals, and invest in new crops and livestock” in response to which he received a tirade of negative comments likening him and Free basics to the imperialist British rule of India in believing that he knows what’s best for farmer Ganesh and in believing that he is providing him with everything he could possibly need.

The underlying furor is that Free Basics does provide free internet access, but the sites that can be accessed through it are limited, controlled by the sponsors, and currently do not allow access to sites like Google, but does give unfettered access to Facebook.

For me the debate goes beyond net neutrality to an age-old debate of imperialism where “to the victor belong the spoils“ and the provider, benefactor, conqueror, patron or whoever it may have been, has throughout history, been allowed to set the rules and the boundaries, this doesn’t mean it has to continue to be this way, or that it is or ever has been right or just.

Zuckerberg and others are on a noble quest to provide internet access to all and those that are receiving free internet are entitled to be disappointed if they are not getting what they thought they might, but to me this argument is an interesting spin on a days of yore belief that saw nations battle others nations with an understanding that when physical lands were conquered the victor imposed their will, laws and sovereignty on the vanquished, is today’s equivalent of conquering digital land and imposing will, laws and access rights on them not exactly the same?

This as well as Mark Zuckerberg’s other media piece this week about his desire to build himself a personal robot and a catch up on all the other tech news of the week were all part of my regular weekly catch up with radio Hong Kong 3’s Phil Whelan, so have a listen now (13 minutes 12 seconds) and then add your comments.