The world says "net is a human right"
By Hani Megerisi
Posted on 8 Mar 2010 at 12:11
Four in five adults worldwide think internet access should be a fundamental human right.
Greater freedom of speech, access to learning and the more varied forms of networking and communication were cited as reasons for the internet’s importance by the BBC-commissioned poll.
Citizens from South Korea, Mexico, China and Brazil felt most overwhelmingly that net access should be a right of all people, although countries were split over whether the service should be government-controlled, with 53% of global respondents agreeing that “the internet should never be regulated by any level of government anywhere”.
The survey also provided some surprising results when it came to freedom of speech. Citizens in France, Germany, the US and other western countries were found to be less keen on airing their opinions online than those China, Egypt and other countries with questionable civil liberties records. Nearly half of UK respondents disagreed that the internet was a safe place to air their views.
The results were drawn from 26 countries, where officials interviewed internet-users and non-users in urban and rural areas either face-to-face or via telephone. The survey was commissioned for a new BBC series called Superpower, which explores the growth of the internet.
From around the web
The worlds an ass!
People have such distorted priorities.
Most people think driving is a right to and it's not. Just like the net it's a privilege!
By Grunthos on 8 Mar 2010 
privilege?
Access to information
Freedom of expression
Communication
People living in areas where they don't get these are likely to have their priorities distorted - start believing they should have them as a right - and anything that allows direct access as well.
But if the Internet is a privilege, then who should decide who is allowed to use it? Governments - only after you've proven your loyalty?
Or large business - once you've proven your ability to pay?
By greemble on 8 Mar 2010
Privelege?
No - it should be a "privilege" that is granted by default, until you're proven to have done something which means it should be taken away.
I'm not sure everyone has the "right" to it, i.e. if you live in the remotest part of Scotland you can't expect that taxpayers will fund provision of a cable to you.
By halsteadk on 8 Mar 2010
The rules as to those who should not have access such as paedophiles need to be clear. Governments should have to vote on who can be denied access. Otherwise a civil servant could literally get a Statutory Instrument prepared that bans Status Quo fans or music downloaders.
By Amnesia10 on 8 Mar 2010
The world says "net is a human right"
Hogwash.
By Lacrobat on 9 Mar 2010
Debatable Viewpoint.
In our present day society it could be correctly stated that the Internet IS a modern human necessity.
As example: things like water and food are necessary for life.
In today's society so is electicity! ????
Take away electricity and off goes the heating gas freezer hospital and WATER. If devoid of electricity most shops cannot conduct business (cannot open the till)... so away goes supply of food.
Many people now depend to do business and online banking on the Internet.
I therefore consider it to already be a grey area... but not so if imprisonment etc bans it.
By lenmontieth on 9 Mar 2010
advertisement
- Chrome's shine getting lost in translation
- BytePac: the cardboard hard disk enclosure
- How tech loosens our grip on reality
- Hokum watch: Safer Internet Day
- Why I'm deleting Adobe from my PC
- Prepare to be patronised: it's Safer Internet Day
- Dear Sony, Samsung and every other tech company in the world: stop trying to be Apple
- Will Apple's Final Cut Pro X update placate the pros?
- Smartr Contacts for iPhone review
- Switching to Office 365's Outlook Web App
- How to make Google AdWords work for your business
- The curse of sloppily written software
- Paying for your crimes with Bitcoin
- Behind the scenes: tech support for Formula 1
- The security risk of fat fingers
- Why Windows Phone 7 isn't quite ready for business
- When will Microsoft stop fiddling with Windows 8?
- Flash down the pan?
- Metro Style apps vs desktop applications
- Coping with Facebook changes
advertisement
Printed from www.pcpro.co.uk