According to ITU, despite the importance of the internet in modern society, only 42% of the global population is online. This leaves 4.3 billion without internet access, 90% of whom live in developing countries. African, Asian, and Latin American countries have some of the lowest internet usage rates in the world. Barriers include affordability, lack of infrastructure, and perceived lack of use.
Has historically grown by around 2% to 3% per year. If this slow growth continues, the information society is likely to be highly divided for many years to come. Those who are connected to the internet will continue to benefit from the advantages it provides in terms of healthcare, employment, and knowledge. At the same time, those without access will be left behind. The United Nations has declared that access to the Internet is a human right.
Google and Facebook, aware of their social responsibility (“corporate social responsibilities”) as well as the untapped potential of emerging economies, have partnered with mobile operators to offer affordable internet access to developing regions.
Facebook launched the internet.org in 2013 under the slogan “connect the next 3 billion”. Facebook launched zero-rated platforms in 2010 in several African countries (an initiative launched long before internet.org) and now ventures into Latin American markets by offering a no-rated service in Colombia. Users can use Facebook and select other services for free.
Telecom companies view this as a way to get potential customers who have been hesitant to sign up for a data plan to learn about the benefits of signing up. Internet companies such as Facebook or Google use their web-based advertising platforms to attract more customers.
Facebook’s free package of services includes news, health, and job information. While it may be an excellent first step in bringing the internet to those without money, it is still questioned whether it is useful or fair.
Free access to certain services is only available within Facebook’s “walled garden,” where the company can monetize new internet users. Facebook is full of links that take users off-site, resulting in data charges.
It is also a question of whether any service provider can opt-in to be part of this ecosystem of free access. Facebook can impose strict conditions on those who join the ecosystem if it manages it alone. The idea of zero-rated platforms, such as this one, that a single organization or group runs, is gaining in popularity.
Purists of net neutrality also criticize the policy, believing that all internet traffic must be treated equally. They are concerned that prioritizing certain applications or services by network operators could give an unfair advantage to large service providers while shutting smaller firms out. This is certainly true for the internet economies of the West. However, it remains to be seen if the same applies to emerging economies with little local competition.
These economies are characterized by monopolies or oligopolies and a lack of competition, which is a major reason for the high cost of internet access. It is possible to reduce expenses by allowing new firms to enter fairly. But this also requires a more favorable regulatory environment.
Facebook has been a hit, regardless of the criticism. It reaches 100m Facebook users per month in Africa, and 80% of them access the Internet through their mobile. It’s not perfect, but it’s working.