Facebook’s Internet.org Has Connected Over 100 Million People To The Internet

Facebook’s internet.org has now connected more than 100 million people to the internet.

Commenting on the milestone, Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement: “We continue to work on connectivity, and our Internet.org efforts have now helped almost 100 million people get access to the internet who may not have had it otherwise.”

The new milestone for users marks a significant jump in reach, considering Internet.org served 40 million people in November 2016.

Internet.org uses its Free Basics app with access to low-bandwidth services and Express Wi-Fi hotspots operated by local merchants to give people connectivity. Facebook is also testing its Aquila solar-powered drone, which will be able to beam bandwidth down to users in remote areas.

However, Facebook has been criticised from some who believe that Free Basics violates net neutrality because it doesn’t give completely unrestricted access to the open web. That led the app to be banned in India. Yet others believe that some internet is better than none for those who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.

Facebook Free Basics is available in Nigeria on Cool Link, Airtel and 9Mobile.

Meanwhile, Facebook has reported its quarterly earnings and revenue was above expectations, as it made more ad money from each user despite recent scandals.

First Quarter 2018 Operational and Other Financial Highlights

• Daily active users (DAUs) – DAUs were 1.45 billion on average for March 2018, an increase of 13% year-over-year.
• Monthly active users (MAUs) – MAUs were 2.20 billion as of March 31, 2018, an increase of 13% year-over-year.
• Mobile advertising revenue – Mobile advertising revenue represented approximately 91% of advertising revenue for the first quarter of 2018, up from approximately 85% of advertising revenue in the first quarter of 2017.
• Capital expenditures – Capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2018 were $2.81 billion.
• Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities – Cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities were $43.96 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2018.
• Headcount – Headcount was 27,742 as of March 31, 2018, an increase of 48% year-over-year.

The number of daily users on the platform also appeared to bounce back, indicating steady engagement despite backlash surrounding the leak of personal information to firms such as Cambridge Analytica. Shares jumped about 6 percent after the results were released.