Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Right to Interconnectedness... Internet

Some countries deny Internet access to their citizens. 
The United Nations Human Rights Council
published a document on May 16, 2011
which argues for Internet access as a right
supported by the Right to Expression.
The argument makes the best case it can with the only existing right that may apply.
But it's weak.
Instead, the Right to Knowledge would make the argument fly.

I declare the Right to Interconnectedness
supported by the tool of the Internet,
protected also by the Right to Knowledge.
Knowledge should not be withheld from anyone.

Internet Map
 Internet Mapping Project, Bell Labs/Lumeta Corporation

Two organizations dedicate themselves to technology freedom:
and

Furthermore, there is the need for awareness in regards to Internet neutrality.

Note:  I do believe some exceptions exist here,
which include criminal websites such as child pornography;
maybe a "censored content list" would be a solution.



39 comments:

Anonymous said...

The right to the internet is the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas. Open access to knowledge provides new opportunities to consider and only adds to the educational and quality of democratic life. On the flip side of this, these internet opportunities serve as a threat to countries where rulers dictate because the people are exposed to the various liberties and freedom practiced by the outside world.
-Ana DM

Anonymous said...

Internet has been the door for globalization and is here to stay we can’t look back and think of life the way it was before. Instead, we can look forward and imagine what is coming next. Internet right has to be declared; It is a right that supports other rights such the right of knowledge and the right to free expression. Declaring this right would empower people where internet is forbidden by governments to fight for their right. A.L.

Arturo A. said...

I support the right to Internet access, because today, the world is moved through the Internet. Our main source of "knowledge" went from Libraries and books, to Internet. It is a great source and makes it so much easier for the new generation to learn.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to Internet access. The internet connects us with persons living in other countries and allows us to communicate in record speed other than snail mail. It is also a convenient way of finding useful information instead of going to the library and finding a book.

-Alli Brecht

Anonymous said...

The right to internet access serves a very important and profound foundation in our society. Because of the right to internet access, we are able to link to vast connections all across the globe. From people we have last seen decades ago to the present future now. The right to internet access also keeps us informed, more tuned in with what's going on in the world daily, and it also helps us to grow along with technology. Denying this validation is like denying the right to education and expansion.

-G.R.

Anonymous said...

Internet was not as important 10 years ago as it is now, everything gets done through it from school to dating. Taking internet from people is like stoping books from beign published, cancelling the printing of newspapers, even having a restricted television broadcast. People would only know what the government wants them to know. Everyone should have the same access to the internet, and governments instead of trying to fight for oil and weapons of mass destruction they should fight for this imprisoment of minds.

Carlos G.

Anonymous said...

I cannot imagine today's society without internet. The world has become dependent of the information offered in this media, mainly because it simplifies our lives, it keeps us informed, and it grant us the opportunity to amplify our knowledge in the simplest way. The right to internet is an important one and should be considered as important as the right to be informed and the right to freedom of speech. D.C.R.

Anonymous said...

In today's global society where everyone has near-constant access to the world's knowledge base, it is a huge setback to be denied internet access. To be denied access to the internet is to be denied one's ability to determine whether information they are receiving is true. To me, this right also ties into the right to truth.
-A.B.

Anonymous said...

I think everyone around the world should have the right to the internet. The internet is a different source that we can be informed by whats happening not only in our country but also around the world. I can not imagine myself without the internet, i go to it for everything i need. It makes life itself so much easier.
-Krystal Garcia

Anonymous said...

Not everyone should be entitled to this right because they abuse it. For example craigslist, people who are dishonest try to trick other who are trying to buy things from the internet. However if it's used to gain knowledge then the right to internet is acceptable.

-M.Quintanilla

Anonymous said...

The right to internet is very important to me because the internet now-a-days, is one of the most easiest ways to get any kind of information.
A. Lazo

LML said...

The right to internet is very important to everyone everywhere. It has become an important source for education and people around the world use it to be informed about current events, historical facts, and even find long lost relatives and many other interesting information.

Anonymous said...

Not sure that Internet is a right! It is in this day a necessity. It will not be long before we will not be able to do anything with out Internet!

Sarah M

Anonymous said...

We should have the right to the internet because we have the right to be informed. We have an advantage in this century because we can lookup information online. —Lauren Franco

Anonymous said...

Internet is one of the best ways to be informed about anything nowadays. Not having the right to Internet is very unfortunate. We all have the right to be informed no matter who we are. C.M.A.

Dan said...

The internet allows humanity to connect in an unprecedented way. Ideas can be exchanged, worldwide, at the speed of a mouse-click. This free flowing exchange of ideas can be a catalyst for positive change in the world.

Dan M.

Anonymous said...

The internet has now become a necessity, rather than a commodity, solely based on the fact that we use it on a daily basis. We turn to it for everything from purchasing items to researching our family history. Therefore if it has become a daily necessity, it should be available to all.

LC

Anonymous said...

Right to Internet needs to be for everybody in the world. People who can’t afford the internet should have a way to access it. Governments all over the world should step-up and provide free internet access on all government buildings. This right is extremely important because it opens-up a new avenue for people to get information on healthcare, jobs, homes, etc. By: LJBR

Anonymous said...

The internet is something we all deserve access too. Of course for the right reasons and depending on age, under some kind of supervision. The internet has changed the way we keep in contact with others. Now we can send emails and chat instantly. The internet provides us with all the information we need with just the click of a button. Everyone should have the right to internet.

N.Av

Anonymous said...

With the right to internet, knowledge is more accessible.

Stefan H.

Anonymous said...

The internet is the gateway to the world. With the internet I will be able to talk to my cousin while she is in Thailand for the summer. With the internet I have contact with my family in Nicaragua. Also when I am bored at night, I read about what is going on in the world. Now you don’t have to wait weeks to know what happen in Japan with the devastating earthquake. The right of internet coexists with the right of knowledge. Depriving someone from that is inhuman because we are creature design to learn and grow with information and experiences.

Angel M.

Anonymous said...

I think everyone has the right to the internet. The internet is another gateway to knowledge. And a great source for research. I especially am a big user of the internet, i usually like going late at night to browse around shop, blog and just stumble on to a few new things. G.A.

Anonymous said...

The World Wide Web is like the ocean: seemingly never-ending and full of mystery. It's a great thing to have, but it must be travelled with responsibility and a good intent at heart.

Javier H.

Anonymous said...

In concordance to my book, "What the internet is doing to the brain," I believe the internet could be both a blessing and a curse. It can be used to benefit you or bourden you, it's your choice.

F.H

Anonymous said...

I think that the internet is a great technological breakthrough. I am able to look up just about anything. Yet the internet can be a double edged sword. How often do we actually use the internet for intellectual matters? For many of us, that is very seldom. Rather than embracing the full potential the internet has to offer, many have been sidetracked by the vast amount of distractions.

Sheeda M.

Anonymous said...

I believe in the right to internet. The internet is a very easy way to access all the knowledge we seek to gain. The internet also provides a way of communication with others around the country which is important for people like me in which their families live on the other side of the world. Etel

COL said...

The right to knowledge is a both a blessing and a curse. I feel that the dictating authority in this country that denies access to the internet fears safety and security. However, to deny this pursuit of knowledge actually hinders the citizens. They are being shut out of the greatest source of knowledge on this earth. The internet connects people from all over and generally does more good than harm.
~COL

Anonymous said...

I definitively agree to the right to the internet. I believe internet is a blessing, I think the internet is such a great tool if its use it correctly. It is convenient; you can learn online, shop, pay bills, keep in contact with relatives and friends, study, and so many more. The only sad thing is when human beings turn something for good and use it to for bad things. (LCL)

D.Zabala said...

Technology is constantly impacting and altering our lives in a positive or negative way. It should be up to an individual if and how they are going to use these tools. The Internet for example has become our cornerstone to knowledge. It has given us access to endless knowledge through ease of communication and mass information.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to the internet. The internet is a global highway of limitless knowledge that is asking to be sought out. Although, it is bittersweet. Some knowledge we may obtain can be quite harmful.

Alexis Herrero

Anonymous said...

The right to internet is extremely important in a mainstream digital era like this one. We live in an era in which, we share most of our knowledge and express our feelings over the internet instead of books. I disagree with countries that deny the right to internet which in turn deny the God given right to knowledge. I agree with the right to internet.
-D.E.C.

Anonymous said...

Right to internet
I agree with the right to internet. The internet is a reliable source that allows everyone to gather information on what they need and when they need it, and it also provides plenty of entertainment but it also carries viruses’, and hackers and it carries bad websites. The right to internet is a good thing but we also have to be aware that not all things done on the internet can get you information.
Chelsea M.

Anonymous said...

This right is untouchable, the internet is extremely vast therefore making it impossible to be controlled. Out of the billions of people in this world who post information or any sort of material onto the internet, you can only imagine how hard it would be to control this world from putting anything you don't want to see onto the internet. It is vast and unimaginable, there is just no way anyone could argue against such a right, this right is unanimous. - J.J.V.

Anonymous said...

I feel like if the people don't have access to internet, we won't be updated on anything. If someone had the right to internet taken away from them, you have to look at why they got it taken away in the first place. Were people abusing the right to internet? were they using it for the wrong reasons? I think every human deserves the right to internet, but if you're going to try to hack through the Pentagon's firewall, then you shouldn't be allowed. As a matter of fact, now that I say that, I think it's more of a privilege than a right. The internet is there at our disposal whenever we need it.Whenever we have to figure something out, you can simply go to the internet. It's literally been created to save you time, and maybe even money (even though you pay for internet) but now that I mention that it costs money, it can't really be a right because if it was a right then it would be given to everyone for free, because It would be our right to have one the same way we all have the right to speak freely or to have whatever religion, those are free. SJB

Anonymous said...

The internet is where people can find information, express themselves, and connect with others. People need to access the internet, and when governments interfere with it, it is like taking away a freedom. However, there are very tyrannical things on the internet such as child pornography and different types of fraud. These types of information need to be blocked and controlled by the government. I do agree with the right to internet but with limits. Robert S.

Anonymous said...

Internet is a huge part of today's society. People communicate with their families, friends, and employers through the internet. Mostly everyone I know is on the internet at one point or another during the day. In today's society barely anyone does research in libraries, we simply get on our laptops, computers, gadgets or phones and use search engines to find the answers to are complicated questions.

P.Picone

N.Cruz said...

The Internet has become the main source of how businesses conduct business, how we obtain information and how we communicate. In today’s society, can you imagine how we would function without the Internet? I have literally seen people go frantic because the Internet has gone down for a couple of hours. I do believe in the right to Internet and knowledge, but there should definitely be censors on what can be accessed through cyberspace. Child pornography is a major issue and should be completely banned. I even believe that there should be a rating system on websites, just like cable television has, in order to avoid children from viewing explicit things on the web. Our lives revolve around the Internet. Have you ever wondered if the Internet can someday be the cause of our destruction?

Anonymous said...

I sincerely cannot imagine a world with no internet and I am certain that is even worst knowing that some people can use the internet and that their government prohibits them the access of so valuable resource. Those countries who deny the access to the people to surf the internet are blocking the citizens’ way of socializing, future, and even the right to knowledge. Sadly, there are some people that are using this resource for the wrong purposes and are using the network for horrendous goals. O.V.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the right to internet because technology is constantly growing and with new generations forming, the newer generations of technology form. The internet has given us the ability to save our tress from not printing out more paper. Is has also given us the capability to stay in touch with family friends and businesses across the world. -ABL