The internet slowly becomes a human right, now that Facebook aims to offer it for free to people in underserved countries. The social network’s initiative to take over the world is far from being a joke, and they do everything possible to leverage their reach all across the earth. Free internet could mean more Facebook users, a stronger database, more personal information to help statistics, motivate new approaches for the tech giant and a greater degree of popularity. In fewer words, free internet would mean more money for Facebook.
Internet.org, the brainchild of Mark Zuckerberg intends to make it easier for wireless carriers to join the platform. Internet.org has celebrated a year of free wandering on virtual territories and now Facebook announced it will open up the platform to any mobile carrier around the world. The aim is to provide internet services to a larger pool of users. Any operator who joins the initiative will be required to offer the basic services at no cost.
There will be a dedicated portal providing a go-to resource for operators seeking to connect with Facebook and offer the service, first announced two years ago.
One year after its launch, Internet.org has managed to bring over 9 million people online. Facebook has developed the platform with other six technology partners, targeting more than 4, 5 billion unconnected people online. The main targeted areas are Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Internet.org offers pared-down web services for free users, along with, of course, access to Facebook’s virtual space and messaging services. According to the most recent declaration from Facebook officials, over the past year the service has managed to bring new users to the platform on a 50% faster pace. Furthermore, half of the people who use internet.org agreed to pay for data to access the wider space of the virtual world within 30 days. This is a great teaser Facebook has invented in order to gain more popularity among people who have restricted or no access at all to the internet.
The basic services for the unconnected will open the appetite for more. More internet means more diversity in connectivity services along with a greater diversity of users. Underserved countries are an ideal target for the Social Network that is constantly experimenting new ways to win adepts. More coverage means more power and more power always brings the money on the table. Rumor has it that by developing a strategy of pre-selected services, Facebook and its partners play the role of gatekeepers rather than genuinely encouraging free internet.
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