Internet.org has connected 40 million people according to Mark Zuckerberg during Facebook’s Q3 earnings call.
During Facebook’s Q3 earnings call, Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg has informed the world that Internet.org (we might know as Free Basics) has now crossed the 40million people milestone, which can be calculated to about 0.5 percent of the world’s population. That more than 60% growth from the numbers Internet.org was able to achieve by October 2015.
The simple idea of Internet.org is a system where Facebook can help subsidize the cost of data offered by network provider and lets people on the network access select websites and services for free. The idea has generated so many outcries on the internet because it violated net neutrality which a lot of people believed in.
The controversies surrounding it made India hit a big blow on Facebook’s target on its fastest growing market by banning the service for concerns of it violating net neutrality.
Read this amazing article on Guardian to see full story behind Facebook Internet.org setback in India
But we all know Facebook they won’t give up, most especially because India, its fastest growing market. Currently Facebook has commenced another similar Internet.org project called Express WiFi. “W’re making good progress with our Express Wifi program, which empowers entrepreneurs to build a business by providing their community with access to the Internet,” Zuckerberg said during the earnings call.
And don’t forget sometimes ago we reported that a SpaceX’s rocket exploded on the landing pad thereby killing Internet.org’s hope to bring connectivity to Africa.
The fear with people is that Facebook would try to determine how Internet.org is operated and would not be a neutral ground for everybody online, some companies might be favoured ahead of some and the neutral ground which the internet now stand for would be lost.
Internet.org was launched in 2013, and till now over half-a-dozen nations have embraced it including Nigeria. Most recently it was launched in Myanmar with partnership with Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications carrier.
Facebook is trying to bring the initiative to the US. They were in talks with the US government and wireless carriers to bring the Free Basics program to the country, according to a Washington Post report last month.