For millions of people, access to the internet is something they rarely even think about, even though it’s heavily integrated into their daily lives. Going without social media, email, Netflix, or Google occurs so rarely that it’s viewed as a frustrating inconvenience, not a removal of their human rights.
There seems to be a common misconception that the internet is easily accessible for most people in the US. However, research conducted by open-source project M-Lab found that 62% of counties across the states did not meet the minimum download speed required for broadband internet in March of 2020. This information has only added fuel to a fiery debate about whether the internet should be considered a modern human necessity or a mere privilege for those who can afford it.
The Case for Free Internet
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed countless flaws in our schools, workplaces, hospitals, and communities, but at the very heart of it all is the ability for citizens to get online. Without access to the internet, students can’t learn, employees can’t work from home, and individuals who are at high risk for contracting the virus can’t purchase necessities online. Sascha Meinrath, one of the co-founders of M-Lab, said, “Now that people’s livelihoods, schools, and lives, are literally on the line, we can’t survive. These communities that are underserved are not going to be able to transition to an online workplace or school environment.”
Global Impacts
While the idea of free internet for all may sound like a lofty goal, especially with major corporations demanding high costs for online access, other countries in the world have already declared that the internet is a human right. In 2016, a report from the Human Rights Council of the United Nations General Assembly declared that the internet allows people to “exercise their right to freedom of opinion and expression.” Although this amendment was met with opposition from several countries, including Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, India, and South Africa, experts predict that the resolution will cause global citizens to protest unfair internet shutdowns and support free speech for all.
Dr. Merten Reglitz, a professor of global ethics at the University of Birmingham, made a compelling argument in a study published in the Journal of Applied Philosophy. “Internet access is no luxury, but instead a moral human right and everyone should have unmonitored and uncensored access to this global medium – provided free of charge for those unable to afford it,” says Reglitz. “Without such access, many people lack a meaningful way to influence and hold accountable supranational rule-makers and institutions.”
In today’s society, where online communication is paramount for connecting with everyone from family members to coworkers to government officials, perhaps it’s time for the US to follow the UN’s example and recognize the internet as a human right for all American citizens.