The Impact of Internet.org
Every one of us. Everywhere. Connected.
That’s the motto of Internet.org. The organization has the bold belief that Internet access is a basic human right—and aims to make that a reality for literally everyone.
Worldwide connectivity
Facebook wunderkind Mark Zuckerberg partnered with several other big names in technology—including Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and Samsung – to create Internet.org in August 2013. Their goal? To make Internet access available to the 5 billion people who lack it.
It’s an admirable mission. Even as Internet technology is improving with fiber-optic Internet from Verizon and Google Fiber, the rest of the world is falling behind. Today, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population is without Internet access, a number that’s growing by less than 9% each year. And it’s not just access to social media and viral videos that they lack. It’s access to healthcare information, current events, educational resources and economic opportunity.
The basic principle underlying Internet.org? Internet access is expensive—but it doesn’t have to be.
The founding members of Internet.org plan to make Internet access more affordable for those in the developing world. How will they do it? By decreasing the cost of data delivery. Creating high-quality, low-cost mobile devices. Reducing the amount of data needed to run apps and programs. And incentivizing more sustainable business models for tech companies.
Internet.org believes that making data and devices more affordable will allow Internet access to expand across the world. And they’re already taking steps toward making it happen.
Facebook recently purchased Onavo, an Israeli mobile app start-up that specializes in data compression. The social media giant created a software called Air Traffic Control that allows developers to test apps under conditions that mimic third-world Internet access, and Facebook is saving bandwidth in its own app by using WebP image standards, prioritizing Wi-Fi, and reducing battery drain. Other Internet.org partners are getting involved, too: Qualcomm has discovered new ways to extend the battery life of mobile devices, and Nokia is expanding sales in India and Africa.
Is Internet.org really that altruistic?
Internet.org’s goals sound charitable—and if it’s successful, the impact could be huge. But some critics are questioning the organization’s motives. Can a charity founded by some of the biggest names in technology really be driven by anything other than profit?
The answer is complicated. On one hand, Internet.org’s success would be immeasurably beneficial to the world. It’s impossible to overstate the good in providing the developing world with Internet access—and, thereby, access to better healthcare, education and economic growth. If Internet.org’s work is so beneficial, do its motives really matter?
On the other hand, companies like Facebook, Nokia, Opera and Samsung have an undeniable stake in getting more people online. More people online across the world—especially 5 billion more—equals a lot more in profits for those who make their money on the Web. Internet adoption is reaching a saturation point in the developed world, so it only makes sense that social media networks, operating system developers and device manufacturers are seeking profits overseas.
Internet.org founder Zuckerberg has explained his own views on the matter, saying that the organization is focused on expanding Internet access “more because we think it’s something good for the world, rather than something that is going to be really amazing for our profits.”
Will the rest of the tech world buy that? We’ll have to wait and see.
Photo credit: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid
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