Internet Access as Right

Greetings!

One thing I keep pondering and wondering about to this day, whenever I think of it or hear about it, is how the government of a country imposes restrictions on certain websites and apps, preventing its citizens from using them. Although some of the reasons they give for doing so may be valid—such as blocking harmful and explicit websites—aside from that, I believe everyone should have unrestricted access to the internet, regardless of the website or app.

I remember a time years ago when the government of my country restricted access to Twitter (now X), and we had to resort to using VPNs because Twitter was an app that simply couldn't be avoided. It serves as a major platform for voicing opinions and concerns. Similarly, I recently heard that a particular country has been restricted from using TikTok, and I keep wondering what would make a government impose such a law. As long as a platform is not harming its citizens, I see no reason for such restrictions. Even in cases where certain platforms may pose some risks, we, as humans, have the ability to decide which websites to visit and which harmful ones to avoid.

However, governments often enforce such bans when they are not on good terms with the owners of these apps or websites, when there are disagreements over policies, or when they want to limit their citizens' exposure to the outside world—particularly to certain parts of the internet.

Should access to the internet be considered a human right?

My answer to this is a big YES!

Today, the internet plays a massive role in how people earn a living. Imagine if certain parts of the world were completely restricted from accessing the internet—that would be disastrous. Such places would be cut off from modern financial systems, including cryptocurrency, and many other opportunities that come with digital connectivity.

If we were restricted from using the internet, many of us wouldn’t be here today. Even though VPNs provide a way around certain restrictions, the inconvenience alone discourages people from using the internet freely. Personally, I dislike having to connect to a VPN every time I want to access the internet.

In fact, it’s unthinkable!

This isn’t just about banning cryptocurrency or restricting access to a particular app—this is about the complete stoppage of internet usage. Any part of the world where such a law is passed will surely lag behind in every aspect, except for a few smart individuals who may find ways to bypass restrictions. However, even these individuals would have to operate in secrecy, which means their knowledge and impact wouldn’t benefit the masses.

Now, imagine a country completely cut off from the internet—so many things could happen there, and the rest of the world wouldn’t even know. This was exactly what the government of my country tried to do when Twitter was restricted, but VPNs allowed us to stay connected. Even then, the government strongly opposed the use of VPNs.

Thanks for reading.

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