The controversy around Facebook’s Free Basics seemed to have come to an end with TRAI finally blocking the so called free data program, but a new one was sparked with Marc Andreessen’s comments on Twitter on India. And now Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has come out quickly to distance himself and the social media platform from them.
In a Facebook post, Zuckerberg wrote that India is personally important to Facebook, and that he found Andreessen’s comments “deeply upsetting”.
He also said in a Facebook post how he has been inspired by India’s progress.
While Zuckerberg lauded India as the largest democracy and expressed his intention to strengthen a connection with India, Andreessen also apologised for his comments in a series of tweets.
Although Andreessen he earlier said that “anti-colonialism has been economically catastrophic” for Indians, he mentioned in his tweet that he is “100% opposed to colonialism, and 100% in favor of independence and freedom, in every country, including India.”