Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg put it simply at the annual F8 conference in San Francisco, California, this week. Facebook’s mission, he said, is to “give everyone the power to share anything with anyone.”
The same line was projected on a Facebook-blue screen behind him, and the word “everyone” lit up as he explained how the company plans to expand beyond its audience of nearly 1.6 billion by connecting the 4 billion people on the planet who currently lack Internet access.
Zuckerberg outlined a 10 year roadmap for the company. Artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and connectivity for all are the company’s long-term priorities. Despite some high-profile stumbles in India, Zuckerberg sees Facebook’s future intertwined with that of the world’s yet-to-be-connected, and global development professionals will have a role to play in shaping the future of connectivity.
About the author
Catherine Cheneycatherinecheney
Catherine Cheney is the Senior Editor for Special Coverage at Devex. She leads the editorial vision of Devex’s news events and editorial coverage of key moments on the global development calendar. Catherine joined Devex as a reporter, focusing on technology and innovation in making progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, and worked as a web producer for POLITICO, a reporter for World Politics Review, and special projects editor at NationSwell. She has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Catherine also works for the Solutions Journalism Network, a non profit organization that supports journalists and news organizations to report on responses to problems.
