Internet Access Is a Human Right
To build vibrant and just societies, we must bring the internet to everyone, everywhere
I was a high school senior when the COVID-19 outbreak swept the world in 2020. Like millions of other schools, my high school in a small Arizona suburb was forced to shut down and move classes online. It was an abrupt, enormous and stressful change. But my classmates without internet access at home were hit even harder by the pandemic.
According to BroadbandSearch, nearly 32% of Arizona households are not connected to the internet. So students without an internet connection were left in a difficult position, unable to join live Zoom lectures, submit assignments or review learning materials.
Because of the challenges some of my friends faced, I realized that the internet is much more than ‘something nice to have.’ It has become a basic necessity, “as essential as water and electricity,” says University of Southern California professor Hernán Galperin. So rather than taking it for granted, internet access is something we should work to guarantee and defend.
The internet is an integral part of our day-to-day lives, linking us to our families, classrooms and workplaces — and that couldn’t have been clearer than during the COVID-19 lockdown. The pandemic showed that the stark ‘digital divide’ in my small community is not just an education issue. It’s an economic issue, a health issue and a civil rights issue.
The digital divide refers to the disparities in internet connectivity between populations and regions. An article by Stanford University states that minorities and those living in poverty disproportionately suffer the impacts of this divide. Offline communities struggle to conduct daily life, stay informed and exercise their political rights. Therefore, bridging the digital divide is essential in protecting the fundamental human rights of all people.
But digital exclusion is a widespread problem that has existed long before the pandemic. In 2018, the Guardian obtained unreleased United Nations data revealing a dramatic decline in internet growth worldwide “from 19% in 2007 to less than 6% in 2017.” Today, connectivity remains unevenly distributed, with wealthier countries having greater access than poorer ones.
Even with the spike in internet use during the pandemic, a UN report from 2021 states that over a third of the world is still unconnected. This slowdown shows that although digital technologies are becoming cheaper, inaccessibility persists. It also shows that far too many people are cut off from the opportunities the internet offers. Deep digital inequalities place those with privilege ahead of others living in adverse conditions.
In the United States, the consequences of the digital divide are felt across tribal lands. Poor levels of internet access exclude Native Americans from job opportunities and telehealth services. Throughout the pandemic, no reliable internet connection also meant that people couldn’t receive emergency updates. Consequently, the digital divide has deepened the health and economic crisis for Native communities. And if inaccessibility continues, “it’s going to put us down a path of further haves and have-nots,” says Traci Morris, a member of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma.
Unequal internet connectivity increases barriers for vulnerable populations and exacerbates existing inequalities. Moreover, it deprives people of realizing their basic rights to free speech, free information and free association.
Dr. Merten Reglitz, a lecturer at the University of Birmingham, revealed in his 2019 study on free internet access that “exercising free speech and obtaining information is now heavily dependent on having internet access.” The internet allows people to share their opinions, access a diversity of information and connect with others from around the world — all in a matter of seconds. Offline communities are, therefore, at a real disadvantage. In a world dominated by technology, meaningful participation in public affairs is nearly impossible without internet access.
The internet is an impactful tool for sparking change and holding those in power accountable. And as political conversations move online, it’s essential to bring the internet to all — in particular to young people.
Egyptian pro-democracy activist Fawaz Rashed wrote in a now-famous tweet during the Arab Spring: “We use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate and YouTube to tell the world.” An equitable internet will ensure that everyone’s voice gets heard.
The internet can also help improve life quality for the millions living in extreme poverty.
A Pew Research Center report found that increased internet connectivity in Sub-Saharan Africa has positively influenced education, economics and politics. Stable access has made healthcare and education services more convenient for local communities. It has also enabled more people to participate in political discourse. Cases like this underscore the importance of universal connectivity; it gives people the resources they need most.
Equitable internet access safeguards our human rights — that’s why it’s critical for the internet to be recognized as a universal necessity, not a luxury for a few to enjoy. “Everyone should have unmonitored and uncensored access to this global medium — provided free of charge for those unable to afford it,” Dr. Reglitz argues in his study. Prioritizing a universal internet will help create an inclusive and sustainable future for all.
The international community must take action to eliminate the barriers to internet accessibility worldwide, because no one should be left behind. We should live in a world where all students can continue their education. A world where all people can get remote healthcare. And a world where all communities can fight for justice and freedom.
Now is the time for governments to confront the jarring digital divide head-on. Now is the time to build an internet that uplifts all voices, and ensures equal access to information and resources. While not an easy feat, cooperation is key to achieving a universal internet. Governments, technology companies and local organizations must join forces to guarantee digital inclusion and reliable accessibility.
The benefits and possibilities of a universal internet are just too great to overlook.
