Is or should internet access be a human right?

largelyuseless (49) · 7 years ago

I agree that in a few years it could be considered a human right. As society progresses people are expected to keep up & expand their perspectives. Not doing so can cause people to lose their livelihoods, face being shunned in society or risk jail. When freedom hinges on staying current, then I could see how it could be a human right. I'm not going to hold my breath on it being granted that status since water is still not considered a human right.

$9.57

jamesgetsit (64) · 7 years ago

This is a very complicated issue. What defines a "right"? If we break it down, every human right that we have we are intrinsically given through birth.

All of these things are self evident, therefor are our basic human rights, that are not endowed by any government but just because we are.

We can speak, therefor we have the right to speech.
We are living, therefor we have a right to life.
We feel emotion, therefor we have the right to pursue happiness.
We can move, walk, etc., therefor we have the right to travel.
We do not wish harm upon ourselves, therefor we have a right to defend ourselves.
As babies we are defenseless, therefor we have a right to defend our children. Intrinsic in this is the right to defend the defenseless.
We require air to live, therefor we have a right to air.
We require water to live, therefor we have a right to water.
We require food to live, therefor we have a right to produce or gather our own food.

And on and on... If you think about rights in this way, where it is what we are intrinsically born with, what we require to live, then no Internet isn't a right. However, one could argue that in order to live in today's society, one must be able to access the internet, and if this is true, and the internet IS required to sustain yourself, then it would be a right.

I don't believe at this time in the human evolutionary process the internet is a right, but that doesn't mean in 20 or 30 years the internet will be required for practically every aspect of life. Once this is the case, then yes, it will be a right.

$0.92

8 votes

bbrewer (58) · 7 years ago

So in 20 - 30 years people will be born with it? Slight change in logic there.

$0.31

bbrewer (58) · 7 years ago

But in 20 - 30 years with infinitely ubiquitous cloud-seeded nanobots autonomously connecting every human's brain (beginning in the womb) to the Internet through direct neuronal comnections, maybe I would reconsider my stance on this.

That was your line, haha.

$0.61

jamesgetsit (64) · 7 years ago

Lol, you nailed it. That's why I said 20 or 30 years. When these types of technologies become accessible, it will need to be a right for humanity to have access to the internet. Not allowing them internet would be potentially a death sentence.

$0.00

jamesgetsit (64) · 7 years ago

And obviously my time table is a bit fast, could be in 100 years, who knows. But it'll happen at some point down the road.

$0.00

bbrewer (58) · 7 years ago

Crazy to think about. It could be sooner than people think.

$0.15

tronthetechie (56) · 7 years ago

I like your point of view, but you failed to follow to one critical point, humans require shelter to live, but it isn't a right.

Not trying to nitpick, I was just expecting a consideration for that point as well.

$0.00

jamesgetsit (64) · 7 years ago

I think that would fall in the same arena as the water and food, and I agree. We have a right to make our own shelter to survive.

$0.00

schuwall (41) · 7 years ago

Right, but many of these points could be made for animals too...

$0.00

jamesgetsit (64) · 7 years ago

Definitely.

$0.00

willowjon (45) · 7 years ago

Great reply! It’s a crazy wild world looking more like our science fiction novels of the recent past!

$0.00

dhn0411 (7) · 7 years ago (edited)

Everything is a human right, and gubmint will secure it for you. Just obey and live for the swarm! If not, you will be shut out and evolved out of the corporate life cycle. If gubmint fucks up and kills millions, it’s ok because it’s for your own good. If you speak out or act contrary, even if true, it’s reprehensible, and you will be cut off from our benevolent dictatorship. For your safety, of course.

$0.69

bbrewer (58) · 7 years ago (edited)

I don't think it can/should be a human right. If it were, are we saying that governments will enforce laws requiring ISP providers to give it to people for "free"? I don't like that idea. Call me antiquated.

How can everyone have a human right that forces another person or entity to give you something that they have created from their own wealth, industry, knowledge, etc.?

Rights are generally protections from threats to your freedom from government or other entities and are not a guarantee of receiving goods or services.

By making Internet a human right you would be imposing on other already established human rights of others.

If water is not a human right (and I am not saying it should be) there is no way Internet should be!

Not saying I don't wish for everyone to have these wonderful things. You just cannot and should not attempt to guarantee them.

$0.66

puukallistaja (40) · 7 years ago (edited)

Internet as a human right does not mean a government mandated 100MB up'n'down to every home free of charge. It means that all people have an access to the internet. Perhaps in a local library or a community center.

And water, food and shelter should be absolutely be a human right. A community that does not provide those absolute minimums to their people has their priorities very twisted up.

$0.00

puukallistaja (40) · 7 years ago

What kind of a backwater countries are you people living in?
Here, in Finland and Estonia, internet has been declared as a basic human right for about 15 years.
And that how it should be. Access to information is limited only under dictatorships. For obvious reasons.

$0.20

davidpakman (76) · 7 years ago

sadly, the internet backwater of the USA

$1.14

puukallistaja (40) · 7 years ago

Yeah. I keep hearing that people who you trusted to govern you, sold your asses to Verizon and the likes. My condolences. Maybe it is not too late to do something about it?!

$0.00

zheimberg (41) · 7 years ago

Interesting arguments mentioned above. I definitely think the internet should be treated as a public utility (aka non-profit) – especially since the government in large part created the internet - which means it was funded by tax payer money (We, the people). I wonder if the right question is being asked? Should private corporations have a right to bribe and steal from the public's utilities for their own profit? Do US Citizens (or any others for that matter) have a right to NOT be financially raped by corporations? Do the poor have less of a right to access to the internet? How interesting @puukallistajathat that there are countries out there that give their people, not corporations, more rights.

$0.06

davidpakman (76) · 7 years ago

Public utility, absolutely 110%

$0.96

ginquitti (51) · 7 years ago

I think electricity should be a human right before internet becomes one

$0.02

3 votes

jeanlucsr (62) · 7 years ago

To be honest. No.
Yes, Internet is essential and should be something the whole world could find use for. We jokingly sometimes put it in the Maslow pyramid as primary need.
But in all honesty. Water, food and shelter. Let's make sure the world has that first. Then electricity. But the most important human right, is basic education. Without that, please don't provide wifi ;)

$0.02

puukallistaja (40) · 7 years ago

Expand your mind, my friend. Internet is not only facebook, cat videos and HD pr0n.

With a connection to the internet, you have the whole world's knowledge at your disposal with the touch of a button. That is the real power. That is the reason why dictatorships try to limit access to the web.
When you have connection, you have the means to better your life in all aspects.

$0.11

3 votes

jeanlucsr (62) · 7 years ago

Yes. Expand your mind and don't forget the basics.
I agree, Internet is a great resource, but:

Internet is not on the same level as water and food. Without water and food, you die. It is easy for us on Steemit to forget how many people don't have access to human rights of which we easily wave off as 'of course' without realizing that we are not even close to providing these human rights to the whole world. Real-life-or-dead rights. We've lived thousands of years without internet, we'll survive (we won't evolve as quickly, but we'll survive), tell me how much time you survive about food and water.
The reason Steemit exists is the need for paying those who create good content directly. But the average person consumes much more than they produce. You have the knowledge to your disposal, if you know how to use it correctly. But if we don't educate, we get a world of consumers of content. Internet is more than Facebook, cat videos and HD pr0n, but in 70% of the world, your country has Facebook is one of the top 10 (if not no. 1) websites, and has at least 3 (if not more) pr0n sites in the top 50 websites visited. So yeah, there is more to Internet than that. But, if we don't educate, a very large of the world will miss all the great opportunities of the Internet, just like we have been doing for the past 20+ years. I can expand my mind (which is educating), but I won't ignore reality.

For my work I'm on the pro online/social media side every day, was fun looking at it from another perspective for once ;)

$0.00

jeanlucsr (62) · 7 years ago

See @puukallistaja, reading more of your comments, I understand your view a lot better. I studied in Helsinki for 3 months and actually visited Tallinn twice for projects. I was amazed that public parks in Estonia had free wifi and would wish that one day we would have that in Suriname as well. Unfortunately, Estonia is an outlier, and we are nowhere close to the Scandinavians in the rest of the world. Maybe Western Europe, maybe the larger cities worldwide, but definitely not in rural areas and developing countries. I do think Internet can help with closing the gap, but it still is a tool. You can't put up wifi signals and expect them to connect with their Nokia 3310 (the original), if they have a phone in the first place. And computers and smartphone still cost hundreds of dollars, so how can internet be a basic human right if the devices needed to access it are someone yearly salary?

On another note, if you are serious about making it a basic human need, I would love to reach out and see if a development project is possible between Suriname and Finland/Estonia to improve e-learning.

$0.00

puukallistaja (40) · 7 years ago

Waddup. I am not living in the north at the moment, so I might not be the best person to reach out to. But I will contact you through your company's website and lets share some thoughts. Too bad that steemit does not have private messaging.

$0.00

elisem (45) · 7 years ago

Very interesting topic, I first thought that is crazy, then he mentionned the job situation so I can see here he is coming from, I agree with your assessment it is more a utility than a right. Which for me raise another question : in Europe we have winter protection which means your electricity and water cannot be cut during the cold months. If we treat Internet as a utility it will put the internet on the same playing field as electricity and water which is still not appropriate.

$0.00

lorilikes (53) · 7 years ago

It should absolutely be a human right, although I suspect the problem would then be access to equipment and technology.

$0.00

horlly (25) · 7 years ago

Yes internet have to be human right in some positive independent way not in some negative dependent way,,nice post about human right more of this

$0.00

drillzablaze (39) · 7 years ago

This issue is logical..at these level of advancement in the world today,internet is a basic right of an individual....dening someone of It,Is deprivation of right..internet in the 21th century is part of US.

We need it in the educational aspect
2.we need it to relate on social media
3.we need it for banking and marketing
4.advertisement
And so on..all these point are part of human live..we we are restricted to the internet, then it is deprivation human rights

$0.00

artbyclark (67) · 7 years ago

I don't think it should be a right. I think the right to access it should be allowed though. I think the Internet should be accessible to anyone that has the means to access it.

$0.00

rajesh-fashek (41) · 7 years ago

Yes, the internet should be a human right. While I do believe people should pay for it if they can afford, I do not stand for the government or big corporations interfering in what we can use it for. The government should not be controlling the internet because the internet controls the world and the future. The sad part is they do control the internet, especially after passing the new law.

$0.00

aholmes96 (34) · 7 years ago

and yet surely without government, we would have no internet? I think writing government out of the future of the internet is an impossibility given its essential role in the internet's imposition.

$0.00

rajesh-fashek (41) · 7 years ago

You are right writing the government out of the internet is impossible, but they do not have the right to control it. I know that would not happen though and that is sad.

$0.00

tensor (69) · 7 years ago

I don't think it that complicated.

If you consider that the internet is basically a giant electronic brain that exists around the entire world then the argument becomes much more simple. Human beings interface with this "brain" via cell phones, PCs, and various other means, and eventually we will have the means to actually use the "brain" more like our own brains (at least that is the general way that the technology is moving).

I believe that all technology is a result of human evolution which makes sense. We are one of a few animals on the planet that can actually alter our environment to suite our needs rather then evolve to suite the environment. The internet is a product of this as well.

$0.00

chirieleison (53) · 7 years ago

Define your terms.

$0.00

jumi (54) · 7 years ago

I request you all steemit users please upvote me,
So that I can help poor people
https://steemit.com/write/@jumi/help-for-poor-people-today-me-and-my-team-rotate-20171229t6434391z

$0.00

marksheppard (63) · 7 years ago

Human right? No. Low cost, fast, and open? Yeah, those things should be guaranteed. Calling the internet a human right is taking it a bit far.

$0.00

penston (55) · 7 years ago

Political, economic and social inclusion should be universal human rights. Authoritarian regimes won't agree with me, though.

$0.00