BBC Poll: Access To The Internet is a 'fundamental right'

[engine]

BBC Poll: Access To The Internet is a 'fundamental right' [news.bbc.co.uk]

Almost four in five people around the world believe that access to the internet is a fundamental right, a poll for the BBC World Service suggests.

The survey - of more than 27,000 adults across 26 countries - found strong support for net access on both sides of the digital divide.

The right to communicate cannot be ignored," Dr Hamadoun Toure, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), told BBC News.

[rbarker]

Sorry Graeme, the BBC saying most of us agree it's a right is their first step towards "advocating ownership of the means of production by the state or the workers." Don't be fooled by them Graeme.

As for a little socialism, I'm okay with that. But you must agree, putting chips in the trash bins, the local school board having investigative powers, cameras on every corner, and Internet access for all is a little to much.

[J_RaD]

internet IS NOT a basic human right, no way!

[brotherhood of LAN]

It wouldn't be out the realms of practicability to have internet cafe's/kiosks/1 terminal per 100 people.

That would give everyone a whole hour and a half a week to check their e-mail and facebook, or something important.

IMO, all countries/private sectors should definitely be developing their infrastructure for online access, whether it be connection or faster connections, both for economic and social reasons, and the resultant market should provide 'affordable' access to all. (I must be a socialist).

'Fundamental right' is perhaps not the right wording I'd want to use to describe this goal, nonetheless it points in the right general direction. I'm sure any of us who have visited/stayed/lived in lesser developed countries, with perhaps, poorer educational systems would see a marked benefit in people being able to 'educate themselves', and discover different aspects of the world online... I do believe that kind of self-determination is ingrained in a capitalist mindset.

[graeme_p]

, the BBC saying most of us agree it's a right is their first step towards "advocating ownership of the means of production by the state or the workers."

How and why? It has long been accepted that water, electricity and telecoms are basic infrastructure that people need - can you show how that has been a step towards socialism?

As for a little socialism, I'm okay with that. But you must agree, putting chips in the trash bins, the local school board having investigative powers, cameras on every corner, and Internet access for all is a little to much.

How is that socialism? It sounds a lot like the stuff a lot of right-wing dictatorships do.

[lawman]

Orwellian maybe?

[graeme_p]

@lawman, just the word.