The internet has been a major contributor to the evolution of and growth in the global economy over the past decades. It continues to have the potential to propel societies, help business leaders develop innovative business models and assist governments in addressing critical policy concerns. Yet despite the clear importance of the internet as a key enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, over 4 billion people remain unconnected to the web.

This document, part of the Access/Adoption pillar within the World Economic Forum’s Global Challenge initiative on the Future of the Internet, provides a common framework for addressing the barriers related to achieving an internet for all. The document is also a foundation for our focus in 2016 and beyond to develop new scalable and replicable on-the-ground collaborative models, in cooperation with governments, that accelerate the achievement of the broader social and economic priorities of a country or region in the context of accelerating internet access and adoption.

Report by the World Economic Forum