UN declares internet access a basic human right

[ehra]

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/06/united-nations-declares-internet-access-a-basic-human-right/239911/

A lengthy report (PDF) released by the United Nations Friday argued that disconnecting individuals from the Internet is a violation of human rights and goes against international law. "The Special Rapporteur underscores the unique and transformative nature of the Internet not only to enable individuals to exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression," according to the report's summary, "but also a range of other human rights, and to promote the progress of society as a whole."

Released after the seventeenth session of the United Nations' Human Rights Council, the report "on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression" comes on a day when its message couldn't be more important. It's the same day, Wired's Threat Level blog points out, that "an Internet monitoring firm detected that two thirds of Syria's Internet access has abruptly gone dark, in what is likely a government response to unrest in that country."

The report's authors speak to a wider issue that we're currently facing, though; this isn't just a problem in Syria. "[T]he recent wave of demonstrations in countries across the Middle East and North African region has shown the key role that the Internet can play in mobilizing the population to call for justice, equality, accountability and better respect for human rights," the report notes. "As such, facilitating access to the Internet for all individuals, with as little restriction to online content as possible, should be a priority for all States." Of course, many of the dictators and leaders across the Middle East region that the report highlights recognized the power of the Internet early -- and attempted to cut it from their citizens' lives.

But people, in most cases, found a way online. In Egypt, for example, we saw hundreds of individuals using old modems and telephone lines to route their traffic through a volunteer network around the globe. And we support them. A survey of 26 countries conducted by the BBC in March 2010 found that nearly four out of five people (79 percent, to be exact) believe that access to the Internet is a "fundamental human right."

Some countries have taken things one step further. Estonia passed a law in 2000, for example, that declared access to the Internet a basic human right. In 2009, France followed. Legislators in Costa Rica, in 2010, reached a similar decision. In 2009, Finland, the report notes, "passed a decree ... stating that every Internet connection needs to have a speed of at least one Megabit per second (broadband level)." There, should they need to, people will be able to organize even faster.

[Ultimetalhead]

I'm not going to read the whole thing, but does this/will this ever mean that we won't have to pay for it?

[ehra]

Doubt it.

[Gadough]

I'm not going to read the whole thing, but does this/will this ever mean that we won't have to pay for it?

The "right to food" is also a basic human right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_food

But I still have to pay $1 for a McDouble.

[Ultimetalhead]

Yeah, I know. Wishful thinking. 

[LeeHarveyKennedy]

So, I don't wanna do the research, is the internet the first man-made 'thing' that people have a right to?

[Adami]

So, I don't wanna do the research, is the internet the first man-made 'thing' that people have a right to?

We also have the right to freedom.

[ricky]

So, I don't wanna do the research, is the internet the first man-made 'thing' that people have a right to?

We also have the right to freedom.

freedom isn't a man made thing. the term used to describe it is.

[skydivingninja]

I'm not going to read the whole thing, but does this/will this ever mean that we won't have to pay for it?

The "right to food" is also a basic human right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_food

But I still have to pay $1 for a McDouble.

I believe the UN declared that McDonald's is not considered "food."

https://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/McDonald's_Torturing_Ban

In the ban the UN said that prisoners must be fed real food, and feeding them McDonald's is officially a form of torture and a war crime.

[Gadough]

That's one kind of torture I would be able to withstand. om nom nom

[ricky]

I'm not going to read the whole thing, but does this/will this ever mean that we won't have to pay for it?

The "right to food" is also a basic human right.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_food

But I still have to pay $1 for a McDouble.

I believe the UN declared that McDonald's is not considered "food."

https://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/McDonald's_Torturing_Ban

In the ban the UN said that prisoners must be fed real food, and feeding them McDonald's is officially a form of torture and a war crime.

broken link


besides, that's bullshit. mcdonald's is delicious.

[Gadough]

Dude Ricky I love you. Almost as much as I love quarter pounders. Almost.

BTW, the link's not broken. Matt just made it up.

[Jirpo]

Well in Australia the government is working on a National network thing which is basically free wifi anywhere in Australia. But they haven't employed it because it would put the internet companies out of business (and because it would costs each person about $2000)

[wjc]

Well in Australia the government is working on a National network thing which is basically free wifi anywhere in Australia. But they haven't employed it because it would put the internet companies out of business (and because it would costs each person about $2000)

If you mean the NBN, it's cheapish fast fibre optic internet with (at present) free installation which they're running in a few pilot towns. I think they're going to have some (paid-for) wireless/satellite internet in more remote communities, but most of the population will have the more reliable fibre-optic land internets

[TL]

I'm guessing this is basically a response to a few governments in the middle east that shut down or attempted to shut down their peoples' internet access in response to the protests and such going on over there.