#internet.org

In an era when people are asking questions around the negative impacts of our digital lives (fake news/post-truth/alternative facts/Breitbart), you need to craft pro web ads carefully. Someone, I cannot remember or find who, said that the internet did not create evil - it merely gave it a megaphone. And it is these words that ring through my head when I see these ads, which is absolutely the antithesis of the sentiment they’re aiming to instill. 

The angle and aim here are noble - wanting to give the whole world the equal capacity to learn, communicate, create and participate. But again, the creative falls short of making this feel real or wholly positive in the current sociopolitical climate. Even more so when you consider that a) Facebook is a big part of this campaign, and b) it is Facebook who is at the centre of the debate over current internet behaviour and culture.

Facebook’s Zuckerberg calls for ‘updated internet regulations’

  31 March 2019 | Reuters | EuroNews

Maybe what Zuch has in mind is a sort of like ‘closed internet.’

You know, a one-size-fits all ‘internet’ where someone – you know, like Facebook- could run it, control it, censor it. You know, ‘regulate’ it.

They could call it names like Free Basics  or internet.org or Facebook Zero and people around the world could use it to access ‘the internet.’

Well,…

http://monthlybrands.com.pk/facebook-quarterly-results-social-media/

Facebook's quarterly results show unbelievable social media progress around the world

Facebook recently released its quarterly update, marking a ten-year progress in its entry to the digital world. Mark Zuckerberg shared a picture in which he mentioned the increase in all social media services it offers and the rise of users in its connected applications globally.

The Facebook community update revealed that in the road-map of 3 years, Facebook achieved 1.86 Billion people and photo sharing application Instagram managed to grab 600 Million users from around the world. As for messaging applications, a 5 year WhatsApp territory escalated to 1.2 Billion users while Facebook Messenger’s reach went to 1 Billion users. Finally, leading to the decade of imminence 50 Million plus people have reached to the services through Internet.org alongside more than 5 Million users getting the much desired Gear VR.

Expressing his delight over the good figures in the form of results, Mark Zuckerberg mentioned:

“We just announced our quarterly results and gave an update on our progress building a global community.

Our community now has almost 1.9 billion people, including 1.2 billion people active every day. More than 65 million small businesses use Facebook to connect with their customers.

Our biggest focus continues to be putting video first across our family of apps. More than 150 million people now use Instagram Stories every day. We’ve launched our new camera in Messenger and have started rolling it out in Facebook as well.

We have a lot more work ahead as we continue building the community we all want — one that is informed, supportive, safe, and a force for good in the world. Thank you for being a part of this journey to connect the world.”

G’day my blogetarians,

Over the past few weeks I have been learning about our digital community and the way we communicate. This has been from learning about social media platforms to social theories. I will now take you through a few things I have learned.

 Digitalisation – Week 1:

Our world is becoming digital, and social media is playing a big part into how we shape and interact with others, and in result becomes part of our culture. Wilken & McCosker (2014, p. 291-295) explain globalisation has allowed us to change the way we see ourselves, creating an increase in individuality. No longer is your childhood and life set by your parents and the people you are surrounded with. You are given the opportunity to explore and see people, no matter where they are. This allows you to take opportunities and expand your knowledge. ‘Most of the world does not have access to the Internet’ (Internet.org 2016), and Internet.org and given us the opportunity to be global and learn about these cultures. They are bringing Internet access to these cultures, allowing us to see the way they live.

So how do we show the world how we live and who we are? Social media allows you to ‘market’ yourself the way you want to be seen. This can be to your friends, family or complete strangers.

 This is how it began – Week 2:

Ferdinand Tonnies in the 19th century asked ‘What holds a society together when most of us are strangers to each other?’ (Swinburne Online 2016). With globalisation we are exposing ourselves to more people. But this can alter the strong bonds normally created through neighbourhoods, family and friends. Our interactions are changing and ‘societies’ are changing and adapting quickly.

 How I use social media - Week 3:

As I had never used Twitter before, this week I learned what the use of Twitter was and how people communicate through it. Unlike Facebook, Twitter’s communicate is not between friends, it is between people you ‘Follow’, from celebrities to the guy down the street. Murthy (2013, p. 2-3) explains that Twitter is a public forum, it is not always direct communication to one person, but gives you the opportunity to gain views from a range of people, in 140 characters or less. All forms of social media have different purposes. Within one company Facebook can have a platform for friendship sharing, groups and events, as well as owning Instagram that has a sole purpose of public forum photo sharing. Thanks for reading my post, enjoy this TedTalk on Twitter :). Waves, Patrick

 References

Wilken, R & McCosker, A 2014, Social selves, Cunningham & Turnbull, The Media & Communications in Australia, p. 291-295

 Internet.org 2016, Our Mission, Facebook, viewed on 30 November 2016 <https://info.internet.org/en/mission/>

 Swinburne Online 2016, Week 2: Social Theory and Social Media, Swinburne Online, viewed on 30 November 2016 <https://ilearn.swin.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-5949022-dt-content-rid-31715121_2/courses/2016-SO3-MDA20009-217733/UnitLearningMaterials/week-02.html>

Internet.org is a partnership between social networking services company Facebook 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. As of November…