Wikipedia Zero was a project by the Wikimedia Foundation to provide Wikipedia free of charge on mobile phones via zero-rating, particularly in developing markets.[1][2] The objective of the program was to increase access to free knowledge, in particular without data-usage cost. With 97 operators in over 72 countries, it is estimated that access to Wikipedia was provided to more than 800 million people through this program.[3] The Wikipedia Zero program ended in 2018.
The program was launched in 2012,[4] and won a 2013 South by Southwest Interactive Award for activism.[5] After having received criticism over the years for violating the principle of net neutrality,[6][7] in February 2018 the Wikimedia Foundation announced the end of the initiative, stating that it would take a new approach on partnerships.[8] Despite providing service to 900 million persons, the project was seen as jeopardized by a lack of growth, and by the declining price of cell phone data.[9]
Facebook Zero has been cited as an inspiration for Wikipedia Zero.[10]
History
Below is a selective history of launches. For a complete list of participating mobile networks and launch dates, see Wikimedia Foundation: mobile network partners.
- May 2012: Malaysia, with Digi Telecommunications[11]
- July 26, 2012: Kenya, with Orange S.A.
- October 2012: Thailand, with dtac; Saudi Arabia with Saudi Telecom Company
- May 2013: Pakistan, with Mobilink[12][13]
- June 2013: Sri Lanka, with Dialog Axiata[14]
- October 2013: Jordan, with Umniah; Bangladesh, with Banglalink[15][16]
- April 2014: Kosovo, on the IPKO network[17]
- May 2014: Nepal, with Ncell[18] and in Kyrgyzstan with Beeline[19]
- May 2014: Nigeria, with Airtel Nigeria[20]
- October 2014: Ukraine, with Kyivstar[21]
- December 2014: Ghana, with MTN Ghana[22][23]
- December 2014: Angola, with Unitel S.A.
- January 2015: Algeria, with Djezzy[24]
- March 2017: Iraq with Asiacell[25]
- September 2017: Afghanistan with Roshan
In February 2018, the Wikimedia Foundation announced that the Wikipedia Zero program would be completely phased out by the end of 2018.[8][26]
Reception and impact
The Subsecretaria de Telecomunicaciones of Chile ruled that zero-rating services like Wikipedia Zero, Facebook Zero, and Google Free Zone, that subsidize mobile data usage, violate net neutrality laws and had to end the practice by June 1, 2014.[27][28] The Electronic Frontier Foundation has said, "Whilst we appreciate the intent behind efforts such as Wikipedia Zero, ultimately zero rated services are a dangerous compromise."[6] Accessnow.org has been more critical, saying, "Wikimedia has always been a champion for open access to information, but it's crucial to call out zero-rating programs for what they are: Myopic deals that do great damage to the future of the open internet".[7] The Wikimedia Foundation's Gayle Karen Young defended the program to The Washington Post, saying, "We have a complicated relationship to net neutrality. We believe in net neutrality in America", while adding that Wikipedia Zero required a different perspective in other countries: "Partnering with telecom companies in the near term, it blurs the net neutrality line in those areas. It fulfills our overall mission, though, which is providing free knowledge".[29]
Hilary Heuler argues that "for many, zero-rated programs would limit online access to the 'walled gardens' offered by the web heavyweights. For millions of users, Facebook and Wikipedia would be synonymous with 'internet'."[30] In 2015, researchers evaluating how the similar program Facebook Zero shapes information and communications technology use in the developing world found that 11% of Indonesians who said they used Facebook also said they did not use the Internet. 65% of Nigerians, and 61% of Indonesians agree with the statement that "Facebook is the Internet" compared with only 5% in the United States.[31]
An article in Vice magazine notes that the free access via Wikipedia Zero made Wikimedia Commons a preferred way for its users in Bangladesh and elsewhere to share copyrighted material illicitly. This caused problems at Wikimedia Commons (where uploading media that is not free-licensed is forbidden). The Vice article is critical of the situation created by Wikipedia Zero and of the backlash among Wikimedia Commons editors, arguing: "Because they can't afford access to YouTube and the rest of the internet, Wikipedia has become the internet for lots of Bangladeshis. What's crazy, then, is that a bunch of more-or-less random editors who happen to want to be the piracy police are dictating the means of access for an entire population of people."[32]
See also
References
- ^ Russell, Brandon (February 22, 2013). "Wikipedia Zero Wants to Bring Wikipedia to Mobile Users Without a Data Plan". TechnoBuffalo. Archived from the original on March 29, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ Wadhwa, Kul Takanao (February 22, 2013). "Getting Wikipedia to the people who need it most". Knight Foundation. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ "Wikipedia Zero - Wikimedia Foundation". wikimediafoundation.org. Archived from the original on April 22, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ^ Sofge, Erik (March 8, 2013). "SXSW: Wikipedia for Non-Smartphones Is Brilliant. Here's Why". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ Riese, Monica (March 12, 2013). "SXSW Interactive Awards Announced". The Austin Chronicle. Austin, Texas: Austin Chronicle Corp. ISSN 1074-0740. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
- ^ a b "Net Neutrality and the Global Digital Divide". Electronic Frontier Foundation. July 24, 2014. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
- ^ a b "Wikipedia Zero and net neutrality: Wikimedia turns its back on the open internet". accessnow.org. August 8, 2014. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
- ^ a b "Building for the future of Wikimedia with a new approach to partnerships – Wikimedia Diff". Wikimedia Foundation. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ Tiwari, Aditya (February 19, 2018). "Free 'Wikipedia Zero' Is Shutting Down After Serving 800 Million Users". Fossbytes. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- ^ Dillon, Conon (December 18, 2013). "Wikipedia Zero: free data if you can afford it". Archived from the original on January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2014.
- ^ "Wikipedia Zero launches in Malaysia with Digi — Wikimedia Diff". Diff.wikimedia.org. May 26, 2012. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- ^ "Mobilink brings Wikipedia Zero to Pakistan". nation.com.pk. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- ^ "Mobilink brings Wikipedia Zero to Pakistan". Mobilink. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ^ "Wikipedia FREE". Dialog. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- ^ "Tech Talk | Wikipedia Zero | A righteous initiative for accessing free knowledge". Archive.thedailystar.net. December 2, 2013. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
- ^ "Banglalink launches Wikipedia Zero :: Financial Express :: Financial Newspaper of Bangladesh". Thefinancialexpress-bd.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
- ^ "Kosovo's Largest Foreign Investment Sets Tone for Innovation". www.the-american-times.com. Hazlehurst Media SA. July 22, 2014. Archived from the original on May 2, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "Wikipedia Zero arrives in Nepal via Ncell and you don't have to pay a Paisa to use it". Archived from the original on July 12, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
- ^ "Beeline открыл бесплатный доступ к Wikipedia для своих абонентов". Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
- ^ "Wikimedia Foundation partners with Airtel Nigeria to offer free Wikipedia access to subscribers — TechCabal". May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on May 30, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2016.
- ^ "Абоненти "Київстар" можуть користуватися Wikipedia з нульовим балансом на рахунку". Kyivstar. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
- ^ "MTN Ghana empowers customers with free access to Wikipedia". myjoyonline.com. Archived from the original on December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
- ^ "MTN Ghana empowers customers with free access to Wikipedia". myjoyonline.com. Ghana News Agency. December 22, 2014. Archived from the original on December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- ^ "Djezzy lance l'accès gratuit a Wikipedia". Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
- ^ "Asiacell to offer free access to Wikipedia in Iraq". AFP. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
- ^ Fingas, Jon (February 18, 2018). "Wikipedia ends no-cost mobile access for developing countries". Engadget. Archived from the original on February 19, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2018.
- ^ Mirani, Leo (May 30, 2014). "Less than zero – When net neutrality backfires: Chile just killed free access to Wikipedia and Facebook". Quartz. Archived from the original on July 4, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ McKenzie, Jessica (June 2, 2014). "Face Off in Chile: Net Neutrality v. Human Right to Facebook & Wikipedia". Archived from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Wikipedia's 'complicated' relationship with net neutrality". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 25, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ Hilary Heuler. "Who really wins from Facebook's 'free internet' plan for Africa?". ZDNet. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ Leo Mirani (February 9, 2015). "Millions of Facebook users have no idea they're using the internet". Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ Koebler, Jason (March 27, 2016). "Wikipedia's Piracy Police Are Ruining the Developing World's Internet Experience". Motherboard. Vice Media. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2017.