Is the Internet access a human right?

Some countries believe the internet is a fundamental right. One of its fathers, Vint Cerf does not agree.  

"Technology is an enabler of rights, not a right itself," Cerf, who is also a Google's chief Internet evangelist, stated in an editorial posted in The New York Times. "There is a high bar for something to be considered a human right. Loosely put, it must be among the things we as humans need in order to lead healthy, meaningful lives, like freedom from torture or freedom of conscience. It is a mistake to place any particular technology in this exalted category, since over time we will end up valuing the wrong things."

Not everyone agrees. Finland announced in 2009 that it planned to have one-megabit broadband a legal right. Moreover, by the end of 2015 it wants to have 100-megabit broadband a right. Earlier, France also announced that Internet access is a basic human right. Moreover, the European Union's European Commission Vice President Viviane Reding believes Internet access is not different from basic freedom values.

"The new rules recognise explicitly that Internet access is a fundamental right such as the freedom of expression and the freedom to access information," Reding wrote. "The rules therefore provide that any measures taken regarding access to, or use of, services and applications must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression and access to information and education as well as due process."

Cerf argues that the access to the Web is not the problem, but how the users "exercise their human and civil rights."

"In this context, engineers have not only a tremendous obligation to empower users, but also an obligation to ensure the safety of users online," Cerf argued. "That means, for example, protecting users from specific harms like viruses and worms that silently invade their computers. Technologists should work toward this end."

Leave a Comment