Facebook's Newest Face is Former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin

By

It’s no coincidence that within a few months of announcing its intentions to pour down Internet from the sky like rain via its Internet-for-all drone, Facebook hires former FCC chairman Kevin Martin as vice president for mobile and global access policy in Washington.

Martin brings four years of experience as a Federal Communications Chairman, according to Fortune, having started in 2005 under the Bush administration, and stepped down in 2009 to work for a think tank. He also spent two years consulting for Facebook on issues related to wireless spectrum and mobile Internet. As such, Martin brings some much-needed regulatory know-how to the social media behemoth, which has its eyes on the skies, and its mind on making Internet access available for billions of people in underserved or unserved areas.

This ambition is part of the Internet.org strategy, which has already been busy connecting some even million people in seven countries with basic Internet amenities.

“Kevin’s deep experience in technology and communications policy, along with his creativity and strategic vision have already proven invaluable to our mission to connect the world and we are thrilled he is joining the Facebook team full-time,” Joel Kaplan, Vice President of Global Public Policy, said in a statement, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

via Shutterstock

This summer, Facebook intends to test launch solar-powered Aquila drones that are capable of delivering Internet at costs far below those of traditional communication infrastructure, making it possible to supply areas financially incapable of burdening the expenses such as India and parts of Africa.

This is where Martin’s experience comes into play. The former FCC chairman has no qualms shaking things up, having suggested during his tenure that cable companies scrap bundles and offer a la carte channel options (We’ve had the good fortune of speaking with him following his participation in a former ITEXPO).

And while residents of underserved areas are likely to embrace affordable Internet access, there will be some rocky terrain to negotiate. India’s net neutrality supporters have already laid into the initiative, claiming that Internet access would only be available for certain content providers, to which Facebook responds that Internet.org will be open for all developers that meet the company’s technical guidelines. 

With Kevin Martin at his side, Zuckerberg’s initiative  to provide 4 billion people Internet access is now armed with the regulatory wisdom needed to turn vision into reality; Internet may soon indeed fall down from the sky.




Edited by Stefania Viscusi
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Related Articles

Tech Podcast Award Winners Bring Excitement and Enthusiasm to a Range of Important Tech Topics

By: TMCnet Staff    6/18/2025

Tech Podcast Award winners produce engaging, informative, and often entertaining content, bringing valuable insight from industry front lines to the e…

Read More

How Mobile Technology is Driving the Shift to Casino Apps

By: Contributing Writer    6/12/2025

Recent years have seen casino apps completely changing the online casino experience. Thanks to mobile-first technology, apps are becoming the default.…

Read More

Decentralized IT Management: Fad or Future?

By: Contributing Writer    6/5/2025

Managing IT feels like an ongoing balancing act for many businesses. Centralized systems often create bottlenecks, slow down teams, and frustrate empl…

Read More

IT Management as a Driver of ESG Initiatives

By: Contributing Writer    6/5/2025

Businesses today face growing pressure to meet environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Customers demand greener practices. Investors lo…

Read More

Everything You Need to Know About Mobile Casinos

By: Contributing Writer    5/30/2025

We live in the age of technology and we have come to solve things on the go, whether we are talking about personal or job-related issues. We have come…

Read More