World Wide Web inventor: Internet access is now a human right

Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee is credited with inventing the World Wide Web, making the first proposal for it in March 1989. More than two decades later, he says humans have become so reliant on the Internet, that access to it should now be considered a basic right. In a speech at the MIT symposium on "Computation and the Transformation of Practically Everything", Berners-Lee said that both access to the Web and access to water should be human rights. Although the latter is a more fundamental right, because people simply cannot survive without it, he argued that anyone who lacks the former wi...

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I thought Al Gore invented the Internet...

Then you have no critical thinking skills. I'll let snopes do the thinking for you: http://www.snopes.com/quotes/internet.asp

Internet access is definitely NOT a human right. It is silly people keep saying this. Rather, the Internet is a tool to uphold those rights (various freedoms, the dignity and worth of a person etc...). Still, that doesn't make it a human right.

For example, owning a gun is not a universal human right -- it's an American constitutional right -- but not a human right. Guns CAN BE tools to uphold human rights and this is why it is written into U.S law.

Should everyone have access to the Internet? Sure. Should it be treated like freedom of speech or the continuance of your human dignity? No, especially not yet. Centuries into the future a global network may be impossible to live without and thus become some sort of human right, but for now, no.

@Rick, I have to disagree. The internet has become such a big part of how we interact with each other that people who don't have it seem lost. People who don't have internet seem very disconnected from society. I think that it should be a right, at least it should be now. I can see as few as 2-3 years ago that it couldn't be considered a right. But today so much of how we interact with each other has to do with social networking and online games. That argument could have been made a few years ago, but as of today, I feel that the internet is such an integral part of our society that everyone should have access to it in some form. It could be as simple as free dial up, but everyone should be able to use it.

Having the internet isn't a human right. Are you kidding me. Last time i checked people surived before without it. Sure i do believe tho it will almost be a human right to have access to it. But not now.

Well in that case let's give access to all the prison inmates.

Sorry, Sir Timmy, internet access is not a human right. For such a smart guy, you sure do lack basic common sense.

the internet is a privilege, not a right.

Exactly. People have been driving cars over 100 years, and that is still a privilege, not a right. Why should the internet be any different?

As a *legal* right, I can agree with you but as a *human* right, I don't see it.

There's a distinction there and perhaps it's pedantic, but I think you and I probably see more closely than you might have noticed.

I believe the "right to bear arms" is a perfect analogy. Anymore, the "right to bear Internet" is probably even more relevant than firearms... But the 'right to bear arms' is not a human right. Arms is a legal right. The right for Internet access should be looked at in the same way.

Legal rights ensure human rights are upheld. Internet access is not (and really shouldn't be considered) a human right, but it *is* a tool to maintain and uphold those very important human rights.

@yRaz I have to dissagree with you... can you live without the internet and online games and such? Yes. Can you live without water? NO. I'm going to have to agree with Rick.

Rick is spot on, the internet should be a legal right for all, but a human right is simply far-fetched. Sir Timothy should be focusing on the increased threat of censorship from governments and corporations over the internet. It won't matter if access is a human right if we can't communicate about important issues because their banned.

Internet shouldn't be a human right. Last I checked electricity wasn't a human right - and its more important IMO than internet access.

I have to also concur with Rick, who said it very well. Internet access is not a human right. Your fundamental human existence is not jeopardized by the lack of Internet access.

The more important question is whether it should be a legal right. This is as ridiculous an idea as saying that it should be a legal right for everyone to have electricity, plumbing, food, clothes, etc., etc, all of which are directly affected by one's actions or lack of action.

Having the vote was once a privilage held by only a select few...Now it's considered a right.

Boundries change along with the times....and in the more technological world that we're living in..Maybe the internet should get a closer look.

I don't agree that it should be considered a human right just yet though...Maybe a right to access, yeah.

A connection to the internet is a privilege. Access to it should be a right. You shouldn't get a connection and a computer for free, but you shouldn't be denied access to it.

lets worry about people not starving first?

Hahahaha... wow, pretty stupid. It's not a right. Seriously who thinks of this stuff?

He couldn't be further from the truth...

Some perspective:

http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats

Some points: Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.

Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhea.

IMO being able to take a **** and wash your hands afterwards is a fundamental human right.

But growing virtual corn is a close second.

I get what he's saying, but he can spare us his noblesse oblige. It just makes him sound like a ****.

Human right? Get f'n real Timmy. If the frikkin internet was a human right, then it would be free and whose frikkin government is gonna foot the bill? The good ol US of A keeps talkin **** about cutting the elderly populations Medicare benefits, you really think that they will foot the bill for a nationwide "human right". Comcast and all the rest of the players will never give away their service for free.The damn internet is great!! The damn internet is also the source for so much bs that it's almost a joke. Everyone should have access, if they choose, but that doesn't even fall into the category of a human right. I have been on the internet since the early 90's and honestly, some days I set and just stare blankly at my monitor and can't think of a damn thing I want to look for or do on the internet. So I exercise my human right of free choice and turn the damn thing off. Timmy you're a dillusional fellow.