Edit: Disclosure: I work for Facebook, but not with Internet.org. I'm not aware of any master plan Zuckerberg has for it, other than spreading internet usage
I'm surprised that Berners-Lee is taking this stance. If anyone, he should understand the critical importance of access to basic information and communication. Connectivity is a cornerstone for developing nations and allowing young minds to prosper. I feel this is a basic human right, but over half of the world's population is not online. They cannot afford it or they do not see the value it provides.
It is grossly presumptuous to say that a small subset of the internet is worse than no internet access at all. The pure internet is obviously better than internet.org. Once people can see the vastness of the internet, nobody will want to be stuck behind a firewall.
Tim Berners-Lee would rather impoverished people have no access to connectivity rather than access to Facebook's watered-down version. He wants them to reject and deny one of the most important things they now have access to. Would he also tell starving children to turn away food donations that are not organic? I guess he would tell them to "Just say no"
I'm surprised that Berners-Lee is taking this stance. If anyone, he should understand the critical importance of access to basic information and communication. Connectivity is a cornerstone for developing nations and allowing young minds to prosper. I feel this is a basic human right, but over half of the world's population is not online. They cannot afford it or they do not see the value it provides.
It is grossly presumptuous to say that a small subset of the internet is worse than no internet access at all. The pure internet is obviously better than internet.org. Once people can see the vastness of the internet, nobody will want to be stuck behind a firewall.
Tim Berners-Lee would rather impoverished people have no access to connectivity rather than access to Facebook's watered-down version. He wants them to reject and deny one of the most important things they now have access to. Would he also tell starving children to turn away food donations that are not organic? I guess he would tell them to "Just say no"