Technology vastly enriches our lives—sometimes free of charge. Consider Google’s search engine. It’s an incredibly complex algorithm that informs users about any topic imaginable faster than the blink of an eye. And it’s free. And it’s just one of millions of helpful online services provided for free to internet users around the world. For instance, you can Skype for free—that is, video chat with anyone in the world at any time (assuming, of course, that you have internet access). You can email for free—send and receive instantaneous messages and media content from one location to any other location on earth. You can host your own personal webpage that allows you to interact with your friends and family—share photos, videos, stories, and event invitations—for free—on social media websites like Facebook.

Sometimes technological advances are not only useful, but also uplifting. For a group of seniors in the United States, a new, free application helps to cure loneliness. A school in Brazil matches American senior citizens with adolescent Brazilians. Brazilians want to learn English, while elderly people want company. Everyone wins. Here’s the outcome:

Moreover, the internet and, consequently, all of the free goodies it offers that improve our lives, is spreading throughout the world. As you can see from data taken from the website HumanProgress.org, a majority of Americans and an increasing number of individuals in developing countries have web access: