Facebook opens Internet.org to developers amid net neutrality uproar

Facebook is opening up its Internet.org platform to developers as a part of a greater initiative to bring connectivity to the 4 billion people worldwide without access to the Internet.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a video message and an official blog post on Monday that the company is opening up its platform to developers who can create and build more apps to support it.

Previously, Internet.org worked with a limited handful of partners and services — like Wikipedia, job and health sites and, of course, Facebook — so users in rural regions could experience at least some access to the Internet. As a business venture, the hope is that some users would end up purchasing a more premium data package. Facebook has teamed up with companies like Microsoft, Samsung and Qualcomm to roll out the project.

The news comes as Facebook's Internet.org project faces criticism for claims it conflicts with the spirit of net neutrality. 

Zuckerberg has fired back, saying he supports net neutrality and that it "can and must coexist" with providing Internet access

Zuckerberg has fired back, saying he supports net neutrality and that it "can and must coexist" with providing Internet access to those without it.

Opening the platform to all developers supports Internet.org'sstrategy for an aggressive expansion. In March, Chris Daniels, VP of Internet.org at Facebook, told Mashable that the company plans to expand into 100 countries by the end of the year. The program is currently set up in nine countries — Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Guatemala and the Philippines — and has helped more than 7 million people access health, employment and local information services without data charges.

Last month during its annual F8 Developer Conference, Facebook showed photos of a solar drone prototype it is working on to bring Internet access to rural areas. The unmanned aircraft, which beams Internet access to people on the ground below, has already completed its first test flight in the UK.

The company has previously said it is working on satellites and lasers to bring Internet to rural regions, too.

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