Facebook launches Internet.org in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of Internet.org, a global partnership aimed at making Internet access available to more people around the world, in Indonesia on Friday, April 17.

“After today, everyone in Indonesia will have the opportunity to share in the benefits of the internet and access free services in areas like jobs, health, education and communication on the Indosat network,” he said in a Facebook post. 

“Through this effort, we will lower the cost of accessing the internet and raise awareness of the internet’s value. And we’re going to continue rolling out Internet.org in more and more countries so that one day everyone can share the opportunities of a connected world.” 

With only a little over a third of the world using the Internet, according to the International Telecommunications Union, Internet.org aims to speed up the current rate of adoption.

Internet.org has 3 main initiatives it wants to promote: affordable access to the Internet through mobile technologies, efficient data use to lessen the data needed to use apps and the Internet well, and business-driven access to the Internet in order to grow mobile businesses sustainably.

The announcement comes 6 months after Zuckerberg’s visit to Indonesia, during which he visited “Kampung Cyber” (Cyber Village), a rural village where locals are making an effort to connect all residents to the Internet not only to gain access to information but also to increase the exposure of local businesses. – Rappler.com