Internet.org | Sociamonials Blog

Internet.org

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Launched on August 20, 2013, Internet^[1].org is an international initiative spearheaded by Meta Platforms, in conjunction with six other corporations. The primary objective of this collaboration is to enhance global internet accessibility, primarily in areas that are inadequately served. A variety of initiatives, such as educational and innovation collaborations, were launched, and a developers’ platform was introduced in May 2015. Nevertheless, Internet.org has been embroiled in controversy and legal disputes due to accusations of breaching net neutrality principles and discriminating against non-affiliated firms. Despite these challenges, as of April 2018, the initiative claimed a user base of 100 million and had been introduced in multiple countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, Ghana, and Malawi. The employment^[2] of technologies like drones and satellites has been crucial to the initiative’s worldwide internet access efforts.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ Internet ( Internet ) The Internet, a global network of interconnected computer systems, utilizes standardized communication protocols, predominantly TCP/IP, to connect devices across the globe. The term 'Internet' has its roots in the 1849 term 'internetted' and was later adopted by the US War Department in 1945. The inception of the Internet can be traced back to the 1960s when computer scientists developed time-sharing systems, which eventually led to the creation of ARPANET in 1969. The Internet operates autonomously, without any central control, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages its primary name spaces. It has revolutionized traditional communication methods and has seen an exponential growth, with the number of internet users growing by 20% to 50% every year. In 2019, more than half of the global population was using the Internet. The Internet protocol suite, comprising TCP/IP and four conceptual layers, directs internet packets to their intended destinations. Fundamental services such as email and Internet telephony function on the Internet. The World Wide Web, an extensive network of interconnected documents, serves as a crucial element of the Internet.

2. ↑ employment. Employment, a key socioeconomic concept, signifies a worker offering their skills and labor to an employer in exchange for compensation. This association is typically characterized by a contract, stipulating the duties and anticipations of both entities. The configuration of this relationship, including the employer's degree of authority over a worker, can notably influence productivity and job contentment. Moreover, employment is regulated by numerous laws and regulations that vary across nations. These laws may oversee elements ranging from contract formats to salary norms. The quest for employment can also trigger certain societal challenges, like age bias and wage disparity. In essence, employment is a multifaceted relationship that includes elements of law, economics, and social policy. It's also worth highlighting that there are alternatives to conventional employment, such as self-employment or continuing education.

Internet.org (Wikipedia)

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Internet.org is a partnership between social networking services company Meta Platforms and six companies (Samsung, Ericsson, MediaTek, Opera Software, Nokia and Qualcomm) that plans to bring affordable access to selected Internet services to less developed countries by increasing efficiency, and facilitating the development of new business models around the provision of Internet access. The app delivering these services was renamed Free Basics in September 2015. As of April 2018, 100 million people were using internet.org.

Internet.org

Mission statement	"Connecting the world"
Type of project	Affordable access to Internet services
Products	Free Basics Express Wi-Fi
Founder	Facebook
Established	August 20, 2013; 10 years ago (2013-08-20)
Status	Active
Website	internet.org

It has been criticized for violating net neutrality, and by handpicking internet services that are included, for discriminating against companies not in the list, including competitors of Meta Platforms' subsidiary Facebook. In February 2016, regulators banned the Free Basics service in India based on "Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations". The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) accused Facebook of failing to pass on the four questions in the regulator's consultation paper and also blocking access to TRAI's designated email for feedback on Free Basics. On February 11, 2016, Facebook withdrew the Free Basics platform from India. In July 2017, Global Voices published the widespread report "Free Basics in Real Life" analyzing its practices in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and concluding it violates net neutrality, focuses on "Western corporate content", and overall "it's not even very helpful".

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