Rational Survivability

Wow, what a doozy of an OpEd!

Vint Cerf wrote an article for the NY Times with the title “Internet Access Is Not a Human Right.” wherein he suggests that Internet access and the technology that provides it is “…an enabler of rights, not a right itself” and “…it is a mistake to place any particular technology in this exalted category [human right,] since over time we will end up valuing the wrong things.”

This article is so rich in very interesting points that I could spend hours both highlighting points to both agree with as well as squint sternly at many of them.

It made me think and in conclusion, I find myself in overall agreement.  This topic inflames passionate debate — some really interesting debate — such as that from Rob Graham (@erratarob) here [although I’m not sure how a discussion on Human rights became anchored on U.S. centric constitutional elements which don’t, by definition, apply to all humans…only Americans…]

This ends up being much more of a complex moral issue than I expected in reviewing others’ arguments.

I’ve positioned this point for discussion in many forums without stating my position and have generally become fascinated by the results.

What do you think — is Internet access (not the Internet itself) a basic human right?

/Hoff

Related articles

• Silicon Alley Insider: VINT CERF: Internet Access Is Not A Human Right (businessinsider.com)
• Vint Cerf On Human Rights: Internet Access Isn’t On the List (yro.slashdot.org)
• Vint Cerf: Internet access isn’t a human right (news.cnet.com)
• Vint Cerf: Internet access isn’t a human right (venturebeat.com)
• Vint Cerf: ‘The internet is not a human right’ (go.theregister.com)