Social Media drones to rule the sky
Facebook to dominate the skies!!!
In an attempt to bring social media to underdeveloped parts of the world, Facebook is launching a costly effort by introducing drones, satellites and other technologies to try and reach out to more people across the globe. The world’s number one social network has hired aerospace and communications experts from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and its Ames Research Centre for the new “Connectivity Lab” project.
Source: thetimes.co.uk
Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on Facebook “today, we’re sharing some details of the work Facebook’s Connectivity Lab is doing to build drones, satellites and lasers to deliver the Internet to everyone.” In what was a slightly ambiguous statement from Zukerberg, he did not go into specifics and also did not specify a time frame.
The recent move extends the social networking giant’s efforts to connect billions of people around the world who do not currently have Internet access. These places include parts of Africa and Asia, and Facebook has been working with telecommunications carriers to make Internet access more available and affordable.
Facebook’s futuristic vision of solar-powered drones and geosynchronous satellites is proof that Zuckerberg’s social media army are again trying to push further ahead of the competition. Facebook stated on a web page that invisible, infrared laser beams would allow Facebook to boost the speed of the Internet connections provided by the various aircraft.
Obviously 1.2 billion users is not enough for Facebook and they are now looking to set the bar high in terms of technology that will change the shape of the way society communicates. This is demonstrated after their plans to acquire Oculus VR Inc, who are the maker of virtual reality goggles, and Facebook is hopeful that this could become the computing platform of the future.
Source: theguardian.com
They are not the first to head down this avenue though as
they follow in the footsteps of Google. The popular search engine has a separate department called Google[x] division, currently working on a project called “Moonshot” which includes
self-driving cars and wearable computers. As well as these odd ideas, Google also announced plans to use
solar-powered balloons to deliver Internet access to remote areas of the globe.
It appears that the world’s largest social networking companies are preparing for the next phase of communication technology, but does it come with a price? Drones of any sort have always been a controversial talking point, and what may seem an innocent step by Facebook could open up a world of further surveillance. The big worry for a lot of people though is the ever-increasing Western influence of other cultures. There is already Internet in Africa, with many countries offering pre-paid services, and in addition to this there are a number of African people who are developing new technologies for their own countries, and by sending out these drones, Facebook could potentially take away their market.
It appears that the world’s largest social networking companies are preparing for the next phase of communication technology, but does it come with a price? Drones of any sort have always been a controversial talking point, and what may seem an innocent step by Facebook could open up a world of further surveillance. The big worry for a lot of people though is the ever-increasing Western influence of other cultures. There is already Internet in Africa, with many countries offering pre-paid services, and in addition to this there are a number of African people who are developing new technologies for their own countries, and by sending out these drones, Facebook could potentially take away their market.
The lack of connectivity in these underdeveloped countries are probably the least of the community’s worries, with many living in poverty. These drones and balloons proposed by Facebook and Google are possibly just a Western libertarian dream by folks who have no idea what is really going on in these poorcommunities.
On the other side of the coin, it may be a genuine attempt by the social media companies to create global communications, and to incorporate underdeveloped countries in that sphere of connectivity.
Alex is an English Literature and Sociology undergraduate whose love for written word has led him to write about some obscure topics in his time. Currently a content writer at Social Media Frontiers, be sure to follow him @AlexSatSMF.
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Social Media drones to rule the sky
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Tuesday, April 01, 2014
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Reviewed by Unknown
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Tuesday, April 01, 2014
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