So I've Heard That Some People Want To Add "Internet" As A Human Right

[Seil]

Link 1
Link 2
Link 3

And this raises several complicated questions - for instance, what would the connection speed need to be like? Does it matter if you're running the 'net via a 286 and Windows 95 compared to a laptop with Vista? What would the fines and penalties be for someone if they deny internet access to others?

Here's a link to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Now, we've had discussions in the past about the internet itself, where things like Internet Bullying have taken place, some of us even going as far to say that the internet has replaced mainstream news for them. It's not uncommon for the internet to be on top of things information wise.

The internet is actually a tool. It allows us to look at various places, peoples and life styles. We can get information about travel plans, healthy sexual choices and talk to grandma while we're three thousand miles away. There's a lot to do on the 'net, and there's a lot we can use it for. It's revolutionized and in all likelihood, defined a generation. That being said, there's also a lot out there that's not helpful, but I'm trying to make a point here.

Human Rights are there to ensure that every human be provided for, that we try to be good to others to the best of human decency. There's obviously situations where it doesn't happen like that, but for the most part, we believe that these rights are essential to apply to everyone, and that they are followed. That being said, we're talking about a legal document that argues that everyone is equal, that everyone has the right to a working government - and the fundamental freedoms, that:

Originally Posted by The Charter

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association.

And we want to squeeze in there that everyone is entitled to an internet connection? I believe that the internet is great, and as a tool, it works well. I just don't think we should stick it in there somewhere. It's a luxury, not a right. Anything that would follow suite would just be a joke.

Originally Posted by Link 3

Is the internet a fundamental human right? Was one of the questions asked to more than 27,000 adults from 26 countries around the world.

The survey, conducted by GlobeScan for the BBC World Service found that 87% of internet users felt internet access should be the “fundamental right of all people”.

Of non-internet users polled, 71% said they should have to right to access the web.

Countries such as Finland and Estonia have already ruled that access is a human right for their citizens.

I agree that no one should be denied internet access due to race, color, creed or religion, but I don't think that it is, or should be, considered a human right.

[Osterbaum]

In a world where the internet is simply essential, or atleast is a powerful tool for those who have acces to it vs. those who do not, it needs to be achknowledged as some sort of basic right.

Then again, making it a humanright is also adding one more to the list that most of the world doesn't really have.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Are we talking about the right to access the internet or being actually provided with the tools to do so? Those are very differnet things.

[Osterbaum]

If it were made a human right, it would obviosly be about "acces to the internet".

[Seil]

I agree that it would cause some public outcry if unspecified group A was forced to provide computers and modems to normal people B, though I'm wondering... what other rights are so infringing on this that we have to include it? I mean, it's a good and/or service that is already available to everyone already because of the charter. The whole equality thing I think would factor into this in that the particular good and/or service shouldn't be denied to someone because of their race/color/creed.

I agree the the internet is a tool, a particularly useful tool, but a tool none-the-less. Introducing a sentence to the CORAF is about as necessary as "Everyone should have access to a Swiss Army Knife." Sure it would be useful, but everyone already has the right to pick up a Swiss Army knife at the dollar store, so putting it in is kind of redundant. And stupid. What's next - because televisions broadcast news and other such beneficial programming, we add in that "Everyone should have the right to watch TV?"

[bluestarultor]

I can't help but feel this is a desperate attempt to kick China in the balls. Granted, there's also the issue with telecom companies trying to gain censorship control of the Internet in the US, but they're not getting as far because people like me are constantly writing in to Congress to stop them.

By the way, if you want to get current info and a helpful organizational structure for the issue in the US, there's http://www.freepress.net/.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Am I the only one who finds this a bit stupid? The internet, a human right? Seriously? It doesn't matter how important it is, it's not essential to living, which is what one would assume would be basic criteria for being considered a human right.

Yes the internet is powerful and pretty much dominates the world and keeps much of our civilisation running these days (stock markets, international business, news, etc), but so do cars, and oil tankers, and planes. Do you considered those to be human rights as well? No, probably not, because that would be stupid.

[Osterbaum]

Originally Posted by Seil

I agree the the internet is a tool, a particularly useful tool, but a tool none-the-less.

Originally Posted by Hawk

Am I the only one who finds this a bit stupid? The internet, a human right? Seriously? It doesn't matter how important it is, it's not essential to living

In response to these comments:

Originally Posted by The Charter

(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

This is a tool. This is not essential to surviving.

Originally Posted by The Charter

(a) freedom of conscience and religion;

(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

(d) freedom of association.

The internet has something to do with all of these.

The way I see it, making acces to internet a human right would limit attempts by certain parties to try and benefit off of the internet at the expense of "the consumer" ie. people. The internet has become a major media. The internet is the press, self-expression and a social forum among other things. These are all basically human rights.

[Loyal]

I'm thinking this is not arguing for "Right to have the internet in your home at all times and costs be damned," as much as arguing for "right to have your internet access unrestricted and uncensored by third parties." Such as with the Net Neutrality issue, or as Blues mentioned, China in general.

[Azisien]

Right to have access in your home, or in general?

Because where I'm from libraries are free and have computers with Internet access.