The Meta founder said that the company is looking at building more tools for its messaging products — WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram DMs, based on the trends.
In particular, see the bits on ‘Net neutrality criticism’ and ‘Impact’
TLDR: Accessing Facebook is easier or even free, accessing the rest of the internet costs money. Thus making it so poorer communities only use Facebook, and say that “Facebook is the Internet”
Few quotes:
In 2015, researchers evaluating how Facebook Zero shapes information and communication technology use in the developing world found that 11% of Indonesians who said they used Facebook also said they did not use the Internet. 65% of Nigerians, 61% of Indonesians, and 58% of Indians agree with the statement that “Facebook is the Internet”
[Internet.org] 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.[5][6] In February 2016, regulators banned the Free Basics service in India based on “Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations”.[7] 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.[8][9] On February 11, 2016, Facebook withdrew the Free Basics platform from India.[10] In July 2017, Global Voices published the widespread[11][12] report[13][14] “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”,[11] and overall “it’s not even very helpful”.[12]
Here is a list of the countries, at least for Facebook Zero:
List of countries
Jordan: Zain Jordan
Albania: Telekom Albania; Vodafone Albania
Algeria: Djezzy;[14] Mobilis
Angola: Unitel S.A.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: ERONET
Bangladesh: Grameenphone
Benin: MTN Group
Cameroon: MTN Group
Canada: Freedom Mobile
Croatia: Bonbon;[15] Hrvatski Telekom;[16] MultiPlus Mobile;[17] Simpa;[18] Tomato;[19] Vipnet
El Salvador: Movistar
Fiji: Digicel
France: SFR
Germany: E-Plus[20] Ortel
Greece: WIND Hellas[21]
Georgia: MagtiCom
Guinea: MTN Group
Indonesia: XL Axiata
Kenya: Airtel Kenya
Kosovo: iPKO
Malaysia: DiGi
Morocco: Maroc Telecom
Nepal: Ncell[22]
Pakistan: Telenor Pakistan; Jazz Pakistan, Zong Pakistan[23][24][25][26]
Palestine: Jawwal[27]
Panama: Cable & Wireless Communications
Philippines: Globe Telecom, Smart,[28]
Poland: Play[29]
Qatar: Vodafone Qatar
Saudi Arabia: Saudi Telecom Company[30]
South Africa: CellC (Discontinued the service), Vodacom, MTN Group
Suriname: Digicel
Trinidad and Tobago: Digicel
United Arab Emirates: Du[31]
United Kingdom: Three
Zimbabwe: Telecel Zimbabwe
Zambia: Airtel Zambia
Worth reading about for how Facebook locked in markets in developing countries
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_Zero
In particular, see the bits on ‘Net neutrality criticism’ and ‘Impact’
TLDR: Accessing Facebook is easier or even free, accessing the rest of the internet costs money. Thus making it so poorer communities only use Facebook, and say that “Facebook is the Internet”
Few quotes:
Here is a list of the countries, at least for Facebook Zero:
List of countries