Mark Zuckerberg says connectivity is a basic human right

Mark Zuckerberg says connectivity is a basic human right – do you agree?

3 January 2014 theguardian.com

It's good to talk … Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg believes the world is better off connected.

Amid a year of online innovations, the Facebook founder says a better-connected world benefits local economies. Is he right?

Over the past year, several significant online innovations have emerged. It was predicted that mobile phones would outnumber people by 2014, with low-cost smartphones opening up opportunities for even more people to get connected. And the UN turned to the internet to canvass opinion on what should replace the millennium development goals.

In August, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced that he aimed to get every person on the planet online. He then launched internet.org, along with a 10-page document entitled Connectivity is a Human Right that outlines his vision of the future.

This followed the 2010 launch of Facebook Zero, a text-only version of the site with no data charges. In the 18 months since its launch, Facebook users in Africa increased by 114%. The business benefits for the popular social-networking site are obvious, but Zuckerberg believes a better-connected world is better for local economies, too.

Next came Twitter, which in December signed a deal with a Swiss mobile company to enable cheap access to users of phones with basic features or on low-cost plans.

Wikipedia also got in on the act. Its foundation, Wikimedia, has a clear mission: to create a world "in which every single human being can freely share the sum of all knowledge''. Last year the company launched Wikipedia Zero, a flagship programme that partners with mobile phone providers to let people browse with no data charges. As with Facebook, the term "zero" signifies free data.

In October, Wikipedia joined forces with Airtel to provide Wikipedia Zero by SMS for the first time in Kenya. Users can text *515# to receive an invite to search Wikipedia; they are then sent the information requested a paragraph at a time. After a three-month trial they hope to expand the service. Wikimedia hopes to reach 1 billion people by 2015.

The most recent partnership announced by Wikipedia is in Burma, which has a 10% mobile phone penetration rate, one of the lowest in the world.

Meanwhile, Groundsource is testing a new platform to ensure that communities that are not online are able to get their voices heard. The platform, which works on feature phones, hopes to bring people together over shared concerns and connect them with journalists.

In India there are an estimated 200m internet users, but only 30% are women. Google hopes to change this by helping 50 million women go digital over the year. It's helping women get online website gives a step-by-step guide to the internet, from computer basics to language preferences. Mothers are targeted by "inspirational" quotes such as "internet moms connect well with their kids" and "internet moms make meals fun". The company has also set up a toll-free helpline and partnered with companies to raise awareness of the initiative offline.

There are also innovations such as BRCK, a low-cost modem, designed for Africa, that can switch between ethernet, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connection. Its backup battery means it can last for eight hours off grid.

So are we going to see a dramatic increase in the number of people getting online in developing countries over the next few years? How can people overcome the barriers of high charges, low network coverage, a lack of reliable electricity and restrictions to information due to laws enforced by their governments?

Questions for comprehension

1.      What is your understanding of the term “connectivity”?

Connectivity is when a person is able to connect to social media to talk to friends and browse social media. For example I can browse my Facebook feed and also message my friends, this is connectivity.

2.      What are Facebook Zero and Wikipedia Zero, and how do these work? Why are these thought to be good for developing countries?

Wikipedia joined with Airtel to Provide Wikipedia Zero by SMS. Users can text *515# to receive an invite to search Wikipedia; they are then sent the information requested a paragraph at a time. This is good for devolving countries because if a country doesn’t have a lot places to get internet you can still find out what you needed to know.

Facebook Zero is very similar to Wikipedia zero. It lets you gain access to Facebook without using internet. This is good for developing countries because even if you don’t have internet you can contact your friends and family.

3.      What other initiatives are taking place in developing countries, to encourage people to get online?

Innovations such as BRCK which was made and is used in Africa. This can switch between Ethernet, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connection. Its backup battery means it can last for eight hours.

4.      Do you agree with Zuckerberg's view that connectivity is a human right?

I both agree and disagree with this statement, I think this because any person should have the right to connect with each other over social media. But I also think it shouldn’t be classed as a human right. I think this is over the top and rude to those who can’t afford devices that can connect.

5.      How does your internet behaviour differ from five years ago?

My internet differs hugely from five years ago. Now I search for websites about BMX for example http://thecomeup.com/, 5 years ago I didn’t even know what BMX was. The only website that I have carried on using is YouTube.

6.      Many people now turn to the web for information on key services – are you among them?

Most of the world’s populations use the internet to find what they need, I am one of them. Whilst I’m working I use the internet to find out spellings and information about any topic I would like to find out about. This is quicker than going to the library and getting a book about it. With the internet it’s just a click away.