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Has internet access become a human right?

#81
:)
Jim Campbell said:
actually free internet is not one of my pet peeves,but it is still your mistake to assume that because anyone can access it at a library for free that it is not a paid for service.....it either is paid by taxes or a surcharge on your cable bill,or a combination of funding sources,but somebody has to pay for it.....just like medicare here.....you don't get a bill at the hospitasl,and there are no monthly fees,but you pay through your state and federal taxes,every payday,without fail.....
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I already stated that taxes and grants pay for the services. I forgot to add that many schools (including public colleges and universities) and libraries regularly hold fundraisers to help defray the cost. Also, private donations (by Microsoft, HP, Dell, and others) of equipment or services also helps. I made donations (albeit small) at the public library in New England that I frequented on my 2008 job search trip. They had a little donation basket at the library's help desk.

So, yes taxes are used to fund the construction, staffing and maintenace of these public facilities (that's what taxes are for in part). Taxes alone are not the sole source of funds. It is useful to many people that services are provided at no extra charge.
 
#82
Hawaii Islander said:
:)

I already stated that taxes and grants pay for the services. I forgot to add that many schools (including public colleges and universities) and libraries regularly hold fundraisers to help defray the cost. Also, private donations (by Microsoft, HP, Dell, and others) of equipment or services also helps. I made donations (albeit small) at the public library in New England that I frequented on my 2008 job search trip. They had a little donation basket at the library's help desk.

So, yes taxes are used to fund the construction, staffing and maintenace of these public facilities (that's what taxes are for in part). Taxes alone are not the sole source of funds. It is useful to many people that services are provided at no extra charge.
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it is also useful to many that their housing,food,education,transportation etc is free from the state too,but for those of us who have to work six months of twelve each year to pay for it all,it can be a tad oppressive.....every free service means that every working guy has less of what he earns to spend on things he might need for his own family....
 
#83
Simo98 said:
I believe the ability to freely access information devoid of censorship by some corporate/government agenda is a human right, or at least it should be.

It just so happens that the internet is probably the easiest way to do it nowadays. Aside from talking to people directly its probably the only way.
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So do I, but the technology described in this piece could muddy things:
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#84
Jim Campbell said:
it is also useful to many that their housing,food,education,transportation etc is free from the state too,but for those of us who have to work six months of twelve each year to pay for it all,it can be a tad oppressive.....every free service means that every working guy has less of what he earns to spend on things he might need for his own family....
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I think I would have a better conversation talking to a wall. You can stay negative and grumpy if that makes you feel any better. I'll go play a video game (that I paid for) on a computer (that I also paid for) and relax. Have a great weekend! :bassist:
 
#85
Hawaii Islander said:
You can stay negative and grumpy if that makes you feel any batter.
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(i) If the 'Right To Internet' was actually being implemented, I think it'd be my right (excuse the pun) to feel grumpy if I felt that it was putting an added burden on me as a taxpayer and that I wasn't going to gain substantially from it.

(ii) However, if I saw no major impact on my pocket courtesy of raise in taxes to implement this, I'd not be grumpy at all.

I think if proper infrastructure is already in place, right to internet can be implemented and it would comply with my point (ii).

That said, I feel a bit hollow participating in this topic at all (as with many other topics on TB) because my views regarding financing of policies and plans probably differs somewhat from those of you from developed nations.
 
#90
bassrique said:
I can't w/out being squishy.

EDIT: To be specific, you say internet is not a right, but rather part of a larger right, and sometimes other people should pay for that right to be enjoyed by others. The words "it" and "never" make it squishy.... .. that and cleverly including something you say is not a right into a right just the same.
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It seems that you read into my post that which is not there. An apparition, perhaps?
 
#92
sloasdaylight said:
I don't think it's a right.

Rights to me are much more fundamental than the internet would be. The right to not be silenced, murdered, imprisoned without trial, etc etc. Those in my mind are rights. I don't think we have a right to look at the internet
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Yup, I agree, those rights are way more important. But when those are covered, why stop there? Why not try to add to the list if it does no harm?

And I wouldn't really think of the internet as way to look pron and lolcats here. In most western countries, the ones who aren't provided with proper internet access are usually also the ones living furthest from most common services and thus actually benefit from the system the most by gaining internet banking and other services. Also it levels the playing field for some small businesses. Internet these days is a huge deal when it comes to advertising, buying materials and customer service. It's pretty hard to remain competitive if 99% of the competition has a major leg up.

Now we are free to choose where we live and naturally one can't expect to get everything everywhere, but I see no reason why this couldn't be something to aim for.
 
#93
MakiSupaStar said:
I've been keeping tabs on these protests that have fired up and knocked down Tunisia, Egypt, and if all goes well Libya, and I noticed one thing in common. All these peoples live in oppressive regimes that also blocked internet access in their countries. Well, not entirely, access to the internet and cell phone networks played a key part in the rioters success. If we talk about China and it's human rights violations, it's often brought up that the internet is deeply censored and monitored. North Korea. No internet access. It seems to be a common theme. I also remember reading somewhere that some governments are now providing internet access to its citizens. So are we witnessing internet access evolve from a a type of privilege to something that is becoming a right?
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How about starting with clean water, then sewage.
 
#94
DwaynieAD said:
i never really felt comfortable discussing what should and shouldnt be, or is and isnt a "human right." I'm sitting here in america, in my comfy chair, in my own home, with my flat screen with surround sound going discussing whether (x) person in (y) country should have internet, when for a great majority of the world they'd be ecstatic to get some clean water
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+ a million infinities.
 
#96
MakiSupaStar said:
Obviously there are bigger human rights violations in the countries mentioned.
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If people cannot communicate, they are powerless. One of the first things targeted by aggressors are communications.

On a side note: DARPA, a USA government program developed the internet, primarily through the military. We, the taxpayers paid to develop the internet and, in return, the government pushed to make the internet a system for all Americans to access rather than be a totally privatized, for profit resource.
 

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