Facebook Freedom

This week's reading talked about the internet's recent shift from being open and free and the end of the web to more and more "monetary compensations" for things like internet on smartphones, apps, and similar pay as you go internet technologies. This got me thinking, even though we choose to pay for smartphones and apps and similar thinks for the convenience of having them, does this mean we take for granted the internet that we don't have to pay for? For example, I remember about a year ago (?) there was a huge controversy over a rumor that we would have to start paying for Facebook. The rumor stated that users would have to start paying 50$ a month in order to maintain their account. This is ridiculous in the first place, since Facebook collects revenue through advertisements, games, apps etc. An entire group was made in protest to this claim which over 1 million people joined. Many other groups were created including one that said "I'm quitting facebook if they start to charge". People everywhere were talking about this, wondering if it was true and deliberating over what they would do if Facebook really did start to charge. The enormous amount of feedback received as a result of this rumor just goes to show that we truly do take Internet freedom for granted, regardless that we have to pay extra to have it on our phones or iPads. Charging for Facebook would have a HUGE impact on the business it received, and the company would probably not be able to survive it. You can read Facebook's response to these rumors, which basically say that Facebook will never charge their users, here.