A Culturally diverse Indonesia is in focus of Facebook’s (NASDAQ:FB) Zuckerberg

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By Joseph Carducci on October 13, 2014 Social Media

Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has a desire to introduce Indonesia around the globe utilizing the power of internet and in doing so he also aims to make millions flourish. Zuckerberg’s social media site followers got a sweet glance of this culturally rich beautiful country in Southeast Asia when on Sunday he posted himself at a renowned Buddhist temple. The very next day he was again under media limelight when found unusually suited up together with Joko Widodo, the country’s new president who used the social media quite extensively for his election campaign.

Zuckerberg disclosed that his enthusiasm to visit Indonesia was due to the elected president’s achievements where he was able to reach out to masses in large numbers. After the City Hall meeting with Mr Widod he further explained that such a feat was unparalleled and to be among them to witness all that was a thing of pride for him. The young billionaire looked much casual in a T-shirt and sneakers while attending a developer summit later in the day, so as to provide an easy and affordable internet access to a large majority of Indonesians.

Zuckerberg is a firm believer that internet can always be a major tool for a government in encouraging businesses through Facebook and other forms of social media and can definitely assist in economic growth. Being an element of Internet.org, this summit focuses to abolish all kinds of hindrances in accessing internet at locations facing access issues. A lot of people use mobile phones to get online in Indonesia, therefore, Facebook will work towards ensuring that cellular networks become economical and proficient. Chris Daniels, VP of Internet.org with many other technology firms, predicts that mobile devices are the future because a large number of people will be using them to access Internet in future.

Indonesia having 18,000 islands has a total population of 250 million and 85% of them enjoy access to mobile data network but even then internet usage rate is not even 20%. So the challenge is to encourage remaining mobile users to get online especially when almost 40% of the population earns less than $2 a day and cannot afford smartphones and expensive data plans. At present only 69 million of Indonesians have active Facebook accounts. Since the potential for growth in Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) users is enormous, addressing these issues will ensure bright prospects for both the Indonesian economy and Facebook.

Therefore, Facebook has embarked upon an ambition plan to partner with local telecom through Internet.org in order to extend free internet services. These services include education and health information, basic financial utilities and Facebook messenger for chatting among others. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) has also established a lab in partnership with Ericsson for simulating network environment on the applications being developed. This led to Zuckerberg’s claim at Borobudur Buddhist temple that the mobile connection test has been successful and world would be able to witness the amazing elements of Indonesian culture and innovation which were restricted because a vast majority of population was unable to share them.