Internet Access - A fundamental Human Right?

[tmcd35]

BBC News - Internet access is 'a fundamental right'

 

Just caught this on the bbc news site. I think I may just fall in to the 'slightly agree' catagory. I can see how important and influencual the internet is but a fundamental right? Stretching it a bit far. Not quite up there with freedom of speech, movement, etc.

[localzuk]

I'd say it is now, without the internet a person would be effectively cut off from a huge chunk of the world. It is as important as electricity is, that's for sure.

[creese]

I've just returned from 3 weeks working in South Africa, where the internet is patchy to say the least.

 

It was costing me £5 a day to do a fraction of what I here at home. I'm not sure it is a fundimental right or not but I do know that an awful lot of things would improve if there was a better internet infrastructure in the outlying areas (which is most of the country).

 

Coming from somewhere that I can buy anything from the internet from a screen protector to a house it was difficult stepping down a few gears to thinking, can I afford to collect my emails today or wait?

 

Of course many people there do not have electricity or enough food and clothing so I would consider power food and warm to be more important but this could be a chicken and egg situation. Facebook is doing its part by keeping people in touch, usually via mobile phone, which many people have. Maybe that is the start of a change at least in that part of the world.

[Batman]

It always makes me feel sad when I realise that we've invented stuff we can't live without. So many of us couldn't do our jobs and would find life difficult without our cars and computers, even things like plumbing and electricity... if it all went kaput we wouldn't know what to do!

 

But that's the rat race we live in and there's very little alternative.

[localzuk]

It always makes me feel sad when I realise that we've invented stuff we can't live without. So many of us couldn't do our jobs and would find life difficult without our cars and computers, even things like plumbing and electricity... if it all went kaput we wouldn't know what to do!

 

But that's the rat race we live in and there's very little alternative.

 

I don't see why it makes you sad. You can extend it all the way back to our origins. If we hadn't discovered fire, we wouldn't have discovered cooked food - and we wouldn't have increased our lifetimes etc... These inventions and discoveries are a good thing!

[sparkeh]

I just can't agree with that.

There are far more important issues that we haven't successfully dealt with we shouldn't class luxuries as 'fundamantal rights'.

 

Example: There are still people in this country who are forced to live on the streets. Lets make it a 'fundamental right' to have a roof over your head before we elevate Internet access to such a status.

[localzuk]

I just can't agree with that.

There are far more important issues that we haven't successfully dealt with we shouldn't class luxuries as 'fundamantal rights'.

 

Example: There are still people in this country who are forced to live on the streets. Lets make it a 'fundamental right' to have a roof over your head before we elevate Internet access to such a status.

 

One of the arguments is that access to the internet increases job opportunities and social improvement. By ensuring access to the internet, it makes getting a house, getting a job easier...

[Batman]

I don't see why it makes you sad. You can extend it all the way back to our origins. If we hadn't discovered fire, we wouldn't have discovered cooked food - and we wouldn't have increased our lifetimes etc... These inventions and discoveries are a good thing!

 

I'm not saying they're not a good thing... but I think we rely on them too much. The systems we rely on are ever so fragile, it wouldn't take much to destroy the UK. Can you imagine what would happen if our oil supply was cut off, for example?

 

I agree with Sparkeh, the internet is not as important as being fed and having a roof over your head. It would be great if everyone had internet access but it's a case of priorities. There are places in the world where people are not even educated enough to use it, what's the point in them having the right to do it?

 

In fact a lot of what we call progress is limited to the few while many get left further and further behind. That's not progress at all.

[AyatollahPies]

One of the arguments is that access to the internet increases job opportunities and social improvement. By ensuring access to the internet, it makes getting a house, getting a job easier...

 

Owning a car makes getting around far easier, aids social improvement and increases job opportunities. Should owning a car be a fundamental human right?

[CHR1S]

The Internet has given me the ability to watch TV on the interwebs, coincidently where I watched Bear Grylls and Ray Mears episodes, which in turn taught me how to live when the oil/electricity/food runs out.

 

Go figure....

[CyberDrac]

I feel that there is a big difference between ensuring that no-one is disadvantaged through not having ready access to the resources and oppurtunities that the Internet offers and calling it a fundamental human right ... right concept ... shockingly poor choice of phrase.

[sonofsanta]

It always makes me feel sad when I realise that we've invented stuff we can't live without. So many of us couldn't do our jobs and would find life difficult without our cars and computers, even things like plumbing and electricity... if it all went kaput we wouldn't know what to do!

 

But that's the rat race we live in and there's very little alternative.

 

I've always wondered what good I'd be after the apocalypse. I know bugger all about cars or any of the trades, and while I've studied computer architecture endlessly there's not a chance of me remembering it without the diagram in front of me anyway. Even if there was, you can hardly build a microprocessor out of scrap lying around, can you?

 

I might have a chance at working out (say) a printing press or something*, but most technology we have now would be lost if something catastrophic happened. Bit of a sobering thought.

 

*probably not though.

[tmcd35]

Pleased I'm not the only one who thought 'Fundamental Human Right' was a step to far - right direction, just not that important.

 

When you look at what the fundamental human rights are and then look at the places in the world that don't achieve them, the internet and indeed electricity or the car, are way down on the pecking order IMHO.

[torledo]

not quite as important as the television in my view. And yet, nobody ever claimed that access to a television set was a fundamental human right.....

[torledo]

I agree with Sparkeh, the internet is not as important as being fed and having a roof over your head. It would be great if everyone had internet access but it's a case of priorities. There are places in the world where people are not even educated enough to use it, what's the point in them having the right to do it?

 

agreed. and yet, the govt. will probably end up ensuring everyone has access to broadband of some description at home or at a location they use regularly, before it's even close to providing enough homes to deal with population increases and the formation of new households.

 

nothing like priorities, eh ? I guess easier to choose the path of least resistance.

[localzuk]

Owning a car makes getting around far easier, aids social improvement and increases job opportunities. Should owning a car be a fundamental human right?

 

No? Because you can get a bus. Being able to travel - that is a right... From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

 

Article 13.

 

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

[torledo]

No? Because you can get a bus. Being able to travel - that is a right... From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

 

Bit difficult to leave the UK on a bus, isn't it ?

 

No bus lanes in the chunnel for starters.

[creese]

Bit difficult to leave the UK on a bus, isn't it ?

 

No bus lanes in the chunnel for starters.

 

Cliff and the shadow and Melvin Hayes managed, in a double decker.

 

I'm sure they used a ferry. Or was that Gerry Marsden?

[localzuk]

Bit difficult to leave the UK on a bus, isn't it ?

 

No bus lanes in the chunnel for starters.

 

Haha, very funny.

[sidewinder]

Until we've solved the lack of fundamental human rights such as access to food, water and education (which I doubt will ever happen) then no, its not really high on the list of priorities.

 

But it does depend where in the world you are. Here? Yes you probably are at a bit of a disadvantage. But in countries where internet access is sporadic, not very widespread or just too expensive then not having access isnt yet a disadvantage...though I imagine that will keep on changing

[Batman]

not quite as important as the television in my view. And yet, nobody ever claimed that access to a television set was a fundamental human right.....

 

That's amusing because in my house we have Internet but no TV... and that's the way we like it!

[mattx]

What a load of tosh, - a human right ? Pathetic.

I put this statement along with ones like 'Is this war legal ?'

[creese]

To put this into perspective, it is a BBC poll and they claim 4 out of 5 respondants say the internet is a fundimental right.

 

The other 1 in 5 carried on watching CBEEBIES.

[torledo]

That's amusing because in my house we have Internet but no TV... and that's the way we like it!

 

well of those, the important thing is you have a house.

[Batman]

well of those, the important thing is you have a house.

 

Yes... although I'm stuck on the rental treadmill tbh, hamster-in-a-wheel stylee.

 

We're considering living on a narrowboat!