Should the Internet be Free?

• “Yes”

  

  “Communications is a Fundamental Human Right.”

• No Objections Yet

Communications is a Fundamental Human Right.

New America Foundation

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Supporting people's right to communicate is the responsibility of all civil society. In December of 1948, the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights . As the basis for much of today's international law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights also addresses individuals' right to communicate in Article 19:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Universal access to broadband connectivity supports this fundamental human right.

Evidence

Link

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Next Argument

"Yes" New America Foundation

• More People Online Benefits Everyone (Including Those Already Online).
  0
• Communications is a Fundamental Human Right.
  0
• Civil Society Provides For its Constituents and Fights Discrimination.
  0
• Universal Internet Access is Efficient and a Competitive Necessity.
  1

"Yes" John Muleta

• President Bush Set a Goal of Affordable Nationwide Broadband by 2007
  0
• Big Telecom Companies are Preventing Fair Broadband Competition
  1
• Access to Free Broadband is Key to America’s Global Competitiveness
  1

"No" CEI

• Broadband is Growing More Accessible, Faster and Cheaper
  0
• Some People Just Don't Want Broadband
  0
• Markets -- Not Subsidies -- Give Us the Best Broadband Technologies
  1
• If the Government Pays for the Internet, It Will Control the Internet
  1

Most Objections

• Broadband is Growing More Accessible, Faster and Cheaper
  0
• Some People Just Don't Want Broadband
  0
• Markets -- Not Subsidies -- Give Us the Best Broadband Technologies
  1
• If the Government Pays for the Internet, It Will Control the Internet
  1

Should the Internet be Free?

• Yes
• No

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