Is Internet Access a Basic Human Right?

When thinking about basic human needs to survive, the immediate thoughts that pop into most of our minds haven’t changed much over the decades. Essentially, these requirements defer back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — necessities such as food and water, lodging and safety, friendship and intimacy, recognition, and becoming the best version of yourself are the first things you might mention. However, times have changed and with that so have what we needed to prosper. In 2020, one can argue that the Internet deserves a spot somewhere in this time tested triangle.

Both advances in technology and changes within our society have made it near impossible to detach Internet from the “Belongingness” and “Self Actualization” portions of Maslow’s Triangle. With recent events dictating a stay at home order and mass self-quarantines to prevent the spread of the deadly Corona Virus, our dependency of the Internet to fulfill these basic human needs becomes much more evident and front and center. As we continue to shift much of our basic daily activities such as purchasing food and toiletries, conversing with friends and loved ones and carrying out professional or student obligations from the real-world to the online one, our dependency on the Internet deepens.

The problem is that this movement from offline to online is much more smooth and seamless for some than others, highlighting the class divide of Americans and bringing to surface the realization that tens of millions of Americans cannot afford the Internet connections required to stay relevant. While many privileged can simply work and live from home, the stark reality is many cannot. In the age of Corona Virus, that means tens of millions no longer have access to medical information, online learning and other activities needed to sustain their life.

The so-called digital divide can only be solved with the support of the government working together with telecom and technology companies. Some ideas for a proposed Internet Stimulus might include:

• Increasing the number of Internet hot spots: The FCC already spends $8 billion per annum with the goal of bringing communication technology to rural or low-income parts of America. An increased part of this budget should be allocated to provide Internet hot spots to public areas such as libraries or parks. In the event of an emergency such as the Corona Virus pandemic, households could rent these portable hot spots from public facilities to provide Internet access at the safety of their own homes.
• Reducing restrictions for Corporations: The FCC should reduce restrictions on spectrum or broadband use or ownership, allowing communication companies to deploy technology and reach new areas on a larger scale more efficiently and economically.
• Offering lower cost access: Based on Pew data, approximately 18 million Americans lack Internet access because it’s too expensive. Staying connected in today’s age is a necessity and no longer just a competitive advantage. Broadband providers should offer a lower-tier pricing schedule for households that quality. This would help provide Internet for a larger number of households and to even the playing field for more of the population.

Today, the Internet is no longer just about perusing Reddit or binge watching past seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix. It’s about staying relevant and surviving — ordering groceries without risking infecting yourself or your loved ones, attending classes via Zoom without going back a grade, keeping up with work in order to provide for your family. Our world has changed suddenly, and with that so should some of the rules.