The Wall Street Journal obtained documents from a whistle blower who said that software problems in the free internet service were leading to unwanted charges for users. The service has paid features in its free mode, even though they are supposed to stay hidden or warn users of data charges. Carrier bills can be hard to pay for the service in developing countries, so users face them when they tap the content.
The slip-up appears to have been profitable for carriers. As of last summer, Meta estimated carriers were charging about $8 million a month for free users. In Pakistan, users have been charged a total of $1.9 million per month.
A Meta spokesman said it had continued work on fixing the software flaws after receiving reports about the problem. New versions of the free mode label it as text only, rather than implying that it will never cost any money. The document estimating charges was not based on carrier billing information, and the over charges were closer to $3 million per month, according to the representative.
Meta is interested in pushing free internet access. Most of its recent growth comes from developing countries where people are online for the first time. The free service doesn't limit users to only visiting Facebook and other services it owns, it increases the chances internet newcomers will sign up and spur Meta's growth.
There are other concerns about Meta. The company has been criticized for making it too easy to pay for data through in-app systems, instead of direct purchases from carriers. Users of its Discover product were accused of being pushed towards content on its own services, while not doing enough to make external content easily accessible. The leaked document states that Discover is not functioning in line with the company's commitments.
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