A major survey, conducted for the BBC World Service, has revealed that a vast majority of people believe access to the World Wide Web is a fundamental human right.
Over 27,000 people from across 26 countries took part in the survey, with 79% of people supporting the belief.
Over half of respondents (53%) also revealed a belief the web shouldn’t be government regulated, whilst 44% admitted they could not cope without web access. Fraud was listed as the biggest concern for respondents, with nearly a third pointing identifying it ahead of violent and explicit content.
The survey was conducted by GlobeScan, with nearly half of respondents described as non-internet users. “Despite worries about privacy and fraud, people around the world see access to the internet as their fundamental right,” said GlobeScan chairman Doug Miller commented. “They think the web is a force for good, and most don’t want governments to regulate it.”
Three-quarters of UK respondents believed web access was a fundamental right.
Citizens Online 