"It is a basic human right to be able to access the internet"

[pcolbeck]

Will people die if they don't have the internet?

No but you wont die if you don't have a lot of other things that are in the declaration of human rights either. Slavery, a lack of education or non representative government wont kill you either.


 

[AndyK]

Personally I think nonsense like this devalues the Human Rights Act, and gives more ammunition to those who would tear it up.

[pcolbeck]

I don't think it's a basic human right now, ten years from now it might need to be though.

[Polar Bear]

You mean like a right to life, a right to a private and family life, a right to freedom of expression, a right to a fair trial, a right to a 1gb broadband pipe... ?

I don't think it can ever be a human right.   Water isn't a human right yet it is far more essential than access to the internet.

Internet access is a commercial provision, not a fundamental right.   You might be able to access fundamental rights using the internet such as our using YACF for our freedom of association and freedom of expression, but, and crucially, the internet is simply a vehicle, not the manifestation of the rights themselves.

[BrianI]

I am here on this site, and value greatly the help and assistance that I get (and hopefully contribute) so I do realise the benefits of the internet, but we really need to address the vulnerabilities of the elderly who are so very naive and open to abuse from
the unscrupulous and criminal element

It's not just the internet though. My dearly departed auntie always fell for scam letters posted through her letterbox.  Send us £5 to be in for a chance of winning a million pounds on the International Lottery (or some other made up lottery name) the letters would say, only for her to end up getting around 50 letters a week from other scam lotteries / junk catalogues offering the chance of eternal youth if you buy these £5 potions etc. When it came to clearing her house after she passed away we found bin bags full of opened letters, some of them with money in the return envelope! and cupboards full of eternal youth lotions, entires for win a car competetions etc.     I'm only glad she was never owned or had access to a computer as I'm sure she would have fallen for the nigerian bank scams too.

[Cunobelin]

I am here on this site, and value greatly the help and assistance that I get (and hopefully contribute) so I do realise the benefits of the internet, but we really need to address the vulnerabilities of the elderly who are so very naive and open to abuse from
the unscrupulous and criminal element

It's not just the internet though. My dearly departed auntie always fell for scam letters posted through her letterbox.  Send us £5 to be in for a chance of winning a million pounds on the International Lottery (or some other made up lottery name) the letters would say, only for her to end up getting around 50 letters a week from other scam lotteries / junk catalogues offering the chance of eternal youth if you buy these £5 potions etc. When it came to clearing her house after she passed away we found bin bags full of opened letters, some of them with money in the return envelope! and cupboards full of eternal youth lotions, entires for win a car competetions etc.     I'm only glad she was never owned or had access to a computer as I'm sure she would have fallen for the nigerian bank scams too.

I agree, it is just that we have the ability to control her mail, it is sent to us (by agreement) and she opens it when we are there. If we cannot control her internet access then we will and do have problems..

I am not fully comfortable with this level of "control" but it is essential if she is to remain  solvent and healthy.