Facebook has published their findings from their 2018 Inclusive Internet Index, complied by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Internet as resource

At present, the internet may be the single most useful tool we have as a society, but 3.8 billion of the global population don’t have access and Facebook is trying to bring internet to the people.

Calculating for 91% of the world and an expanded data set of 86 countries, the index assesses a country’s internet inclusion of availability, affordability, relevance, and readiness.

This year's findings also included a new Value of the Internet Survey, polling over 4000 respondents from 85 countries, to gauge the impact of internet usage on everyday lives.

Good news

Global connectivity has risen by 8.3% but still has a ways to go. Growth is slower in low-income countries – which have risen by 65.1%.

The cost of accessing internet is also falling as much as 17.3% since 2017, and the UN has set a target goal of 2025 for cost to be less than 2% of GNI per capita.

Internet access has empowered people of Asia, the Middle East, and Africa with 67% polled considering access as a basic human right. The online revolution may just be arriving in our global village.

Do you feel internet is a basic human right? What are your thoughts on the cost? Let us know in the comment section.